Repopulating
by DarkMage6
Summary: <html><head></head>Mandated marriages have been proclaimed for all Captains and Lieutenants!  Follow each as they find their 'true love'. WARNING: CRUELTY CAN BE INVOLVED WITH SOME CHARACTERS, SEX SCENES WITHIN EVERY STORY.  Current story: Mayuri Kurotsuchi</html>
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1~

Captain Yamamoto set the paperwork aside with a heavy sigh. Between all the fighting, and all out war that had taken place in the Soul Society, the population had depleted heavily. Numbers were the lowest they had been in ages, and recruiting was being done left and right to build up the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to what they once were. It was slow going though.

Worse, no one of any real substance was being born. No one with enough strive to become great one day. All in all, the Soul Society itself was on the fast track to becoming nothing but a memory. Who would protect the people once they were gone?

Sure, they lived long lives, and many people had thousands of years to go before their end might come about. But. . .

That was the problem. Too many 'buts' factored into everything. Followed by 'What if's?'.

The solutions were a bunch of 'What if's?' as well. What could they really do to stop this destruction from continuing? The possibilities were few and the rewards seemed even fewer.

Captain Yamamoto rubbed his brow tiredly and glanced over at his lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe. The man was still young, still in his prime, even for the white hair that he now carried. Captain Yamamoto tilted his head slightly, keeping his gaze on his lieutenant. Still young enough to marry even. . .have children. . .

"Chojiro. . ." Yamamoto broke the silence.

"Yes sir?" Chojiro asked, placing his brush down, bringing an end to his paperwork.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. "I have a solution to our population problem. . .I fear no one will like it though. Tomorrow, I want a meeting called with all the captains. The day after, I will meet with all the Lieutenants. Pass the word along, please."

"Yes sir!" Chojiro disappeared to do as he was told.

Captain Yamamoto sighed and rested his chin on his hand while thinking over what the next few days would bring. No doubt, no one would be thrilled with his decision. Rules would have to put down to ensure that these marriages took place too.

Yamamoto picked up his brush and dipped it in ink before staring at the blank piece of paper set out in front of him. Moments later, he began to write.

* * *

><p>All the Captains stood on the respective sides of the meeting hall before Yamamoto. He cleared his throat and opened his eyes to stare at the Captain's, getting their attention faster than any yell or whistle could ever accomplish.<p>

"Our numbers have never been so low. Our Squad's numbers have been cut down by half, or more, and there aren't enough up and coming recruits in the academy to replenish these numbers any time soon. Worse, anyone that had a chance at becoming a Shinigami, is no longer interested, or dead now, thanks to all the wars we've had to go through." Yamamoto began. "Births are low, and even with a spike, I know that it will be years before any real progress is made. However, waiting those years is the only real option we have. Therefore, all captains have within a year to marry."

Outrage poured out of the room as half of the Captain's tried to talk over one another and yelled at him. Only a few remained silent and waiting.

"Silence!" Yamamoto barked, slamming down his staff. "There is no other solution. And this situation does not have to be permanent! Find someone to marry. Have two children. When the second child is at least three years of age, you have the option of dissolving your marriage and pretending that it never happened. The children will remain with the Captain who parented them however. We need them protected, and they need to get used to being in such a setting. Your Lieutenants will also be required to marry, with the exception of Lieutenant Kusajishi of Squad 11, who we feel is not mature enough to begin treatments to help her age at this point."

"Treatments?" Captain Hitsugaya broke in.

"Something that Captain Kurotsuchi has been working on for some time. A way to speed up the body's aging process. You will be taking these treatments soon." Yamamoto said, meeting the younger Captain's gaze. "I would also like to say, that I will allow marriage between Captain's and Lieutenant's, as long as it is brought before me first, and approved. Not everyone can do this however. We want to increase our number as quickly as possible."

"Do we not have any choice in this?" Soi Fon asked, angrily. "Some of our sexual preferences do not run along the opposite sex."

"I am sorry, I cannot make exceptions for anyone." Yamamoto sighed. "Otherwise, I'd have to make exceptions for everyone. That wouldn't help our cause any."

"Of course, you won't be marrying." Captain Kurotsuchi snapped. "I have no doubt about that."

"Even if the Captain Yamamoto did marry, there would be no children. He has never been able to produce a child." Captain Unohana cut in before Yamamoto could respond. "Feel free to look at his medical files if you don't believe me, Captain Kurotsuchi."

"What happens if we don't marry within the year time slot?" Captain Ukitake asked, changing the subject.

"We will choose a husband or bride for you." Yamamoto answered.

"I trust that we'll be given leeway to go out and search for our brides or husbands?" Captain Zaraki asked. "Cuz I ain't marrying some pansy ass soft woman."

"Yes." Yamamoto answered softly. "Keep in mind though, that your Lieutenants also need to go out and search as well. So don't stay gone for too long of periods at a time."

The room was quiet and everyone seemed to accept what was about to happen, but no one seemed to be doing so happily.

"We will meet again the day after tomorrow. After I've met with the Lieutenants. There, you will tell me if you are going to search for your bride, or husband. If you decide you would like to look through some of our pre-chosen brides and grooms, they will be here. You can take them with you and get to know them. But if you take one of them, you have to marry them within a month. So think hard. See you in two days. Dismissed."

Each Captain left quickly leaving Yamamoto alone to his thoughts. In some ways, he regretted having to do this.

What poor woman would be tied down to Captain Kurotsuchi? And would Captain Komamura have any luck in the search? Soi Fon? He feared for the man that had to be with that woman.

He rubbed his eyebrow tiredly, and began to plot for the Lieutenants. Virtually, he'd tell them the same thing. Only, he wouldn't care so much if they married within themselves. Well, not all of them.

* * *

><p>The Lieutenants all set out before him, all with curious eyes. All were aware that something big was going down. Why else would all the Captains be in such solemn moods.<p>

"With the recent wars, the population of the Soul Society has dropped drastically. More so, there aren't enough recruits coming in to help us replenish those numbers. So, with the exception of Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, you all will be finding yourself husbands or wives. You have a year to do so. If you fail to do so, we will pick one for you. You are allowed to marry your Captain, with prior permission, of course. You may marry amongst yourselves, with prior permission, as well. If you would rather not spend a year searching for someone, we have a few brides and grooms here for you to choose from. You have two days to think this over. Then we will meet again. You can tell us your choice, and either leave to search for your spouse, or stay and pick from what we have." Yamamoto told them.

Outrage sounded as soon as Captain Yamamoto finished his speech.

"You can't be serious!" Rangiku snarled. "You expect me to marry? Especially right after. . .right after I lost Gin?"

"You lost Gin a long time ago. It's your own fault you couldn't let him go." Yamamoto replied.

A shocked look came over most of the Lieutenants, and several went over to Rangiku and helped her stand.

"I haven't dismissed you." Yamamoto reminded them.

"I think we've heard enough." Shuhei stated. "We understand the rules, and now we are taking our friend home."

Most of the Lieutenants began to stand and leave.

Yamamoto stamped his cane down hard. "I did not dismiss you!"

"You lost the right to dismiss us when you took away our own freedom to love and live as we choose. Time limits, orders. . .These things never go hand and hand with love." Nanao stated, also standing. "We will see you in two days, sir."

Yamamoto was left alone in the room, shocked. The Lieutenants never acted out this way, ever. He sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily again.

He hoped the second meeting with the Captains went a lot smoother than the one with the Lieutenants was going to go.

* * *

><p>The Captains all set in front of Yamamoto. Some wore expressions of hate toward him, some were calm as always, some looked nervous, and some seemed just bored.<p>

Behind the Head Captain, several men and women set, all just waiting to see if they had a chance of being groom or bride to a Captain or Lieutenant.

"Have you made your choices?" Yamamoto asked. "Tell me your choices, in order, if you please."

"I will be searching through your. . .grooms to find a suitable and strong husband. He'll have to understand that I'll be divorcing him as soon as our. . ._children _are old enough." Captain Soi Fon said, a sneer on her face.

"I believe I will try and find myself a suitable husband." Captain Unohana said softly.

"I will be finding my own bride." Captain Byakuya Kuchiki stated.

"I will search as well." Komamura responded.

"I just have to try and convince my Nanao-chan to put up with me outside the office." Captain Shunsui said with a shrug, getting chuckles out of a few of the Captains.

"I will find myself a suitable bride." Captain Hitsugaya murmured.

"You should know my answer." Captain Kenpachi said with a smirk.

"I will look. No doubt the women you picked are all idiots." Captain Kurotsuchi stated.

From behind Yamamoto, a few of the woman spat curses and death threats. It took a few minutes to calm them down.

"I will. . ." Captain Ukitake cut off as he began coughing up blood. In a heart beat, Captain Unohana and an unknown girl were out his side.

"Take this." The girl said, putting a small pill in Ukitake's hand as well as getting a canteen of water. "It will ease the pain, and put a quick stop to the bleeding."

"What is that?" Captain Unohana said, keeping Ukitake from taking the pill.

"It's a remedy from my village, outside of the Seireitei. We strive to learn healing ways, and find most of our cures through herbs, roots, flowers, water, and even insects. Occasionally, animal blood has played an important part in many cures." The girl slid her eyes to Ukitake's. "Fear not, no blood or bugs in your pills."

Ukitake took it before Unohana could keep him again and took a long swallow of water.

Everyone waited for a while, before Ukitake said, "I'm sorry. I feel much better now."

Unohana returned to her place, and the girl made to stand, but Ukitake grabbed her wrist. "I might sound selfish, but I am need of help, constantly. I would like to marry this girl. I'm sure she, and Captain Unohana could learn much from each other."

The girl bowed her head to Ukitake, and with a slightly unsure look, took a seat next to him.

Yamamoto gave a brief nod of the head before turning back to the rest of the Captain's. "For those of you who are searching, I want you to know, that these people behind me, willing be staying within the Soul Society. You can meet them and talk to them, and not hold the obligation of marrying them within the month. I will extend a small offer to those of you who are picking from them now. You can have two weeks free to get to know them and pick which you want to marry before the month in which you have to get to know them."

The room was quiet.

"I would also like to announce that there is a special case amongst the Lieutenants. We all know that Lieutenant of Squad Five, Momo Hinamori, has not been well since the betrayal of Former Squad Five Captain, Sousuke Aizen. Through review of her mental profile with Captain Unohana, we have picked a husband for her. I know that it seems cruel, but we feel this is best. Without a man that can handle and help her, she's always going to cling to the image of what Sousuke Aizen pretended to be." Yamamoto said softly. "This man," A large man stepped up beside Yamamoto in the standard Shinigami uniform with a Captain's haori on. "-will be taking over Squad Five as Captain. His name is Takeshi Maki. He comes from outside the Seireitei."

"He hasn't been given tests!" Soi Fon barked!

"Yes, he has." Yamamoto replied. "I gave him a test. He performed a Bankai, and was tested by others who will remained nameless. The Central Forty-Six has passed their seal on him as well. It is done."

"And what test did he gave you?" Soi Fon barked at the new Captain.

With a deep voice, he replied, "I had to touch you ten times without your notice."

"Impossible." Soi Fon snapped.

"Have you checked your back? Captain Unohana could look at it for you." Takeshi said with a smirk.

Soi Fon shrugged out of her haori and turned so Unohana could look at her back. "Well?" She asked, impatiently.

"He has touched you ten times." Unohana responded. "You have ten small scratches on your back. . .it says 'TAG'."

Soi Fon leapt at the new Captain, and he easily blocked her attack with his forearm before grabbing her leg and throwing her back into her place.

"Enough! I will not have fighting in this room!" Yamamoto boomed as Soi Fon got up for another attack. "He passed his test Soi Fon. If you were informed about it, then you would be on guard all the time, and be even more upset when he still succeeded."

"He wouldn't have succeeded if I had known." Soi Fon hissed.

"The point of his test was to do it without your knowledge. He passed. It's done." Yamamoto barked.

Soi Fon set down, pissed beyond belief, and glaring at the new Captain.

"If no one else has any questions, or anything to ask, you are dismissed. Good luck to you all." Yamamoto sighed.

* * *

><p>"Before I ask what you have decided, I have an announcement to make. I am sure plenty of you will be upset with this, but know that this decision did not come easily, and Captain Unohana had a hand in making this important decision. Lieutenant of Squad Five, Momo Hinamori, your husband has been chose for you. We feel that with your current state of mind, and the history you had with the prior Captain of Squad Five, Sousuke Aizen, that this was in your best interest." Yamamoto spoke.<p>

Momo set there with a shocked look on her face. "What?" She whispered. "That's not fair! I should have a right to choose who I marry!"

"He didn't ask your opinion. Think of this as an order, Momo-san." A man walked from the back of the room wearing the haori of Squad Five.

"Meet the new Captain of Squad Five, Takeshi Maki." Yamamoto introduced as the Captain took a seat beside Momo.

"Now, file off, in order of Squad, to tell me what your choice is. Momo, you will not have to."

"I will search for a bride for myself, sir." Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe of Squad One replied.

"I will find myself a bride." Marehiyo Omaeda of Squad Two murmured.

"I will look through the brides you have assembled. I don't have the luxury of seeking one out while I do the work of both a Captain and Lieutenant." Izuru Kira of Squad Three sighed.

"I. . .I guess I'll look through the men you have assembled." Isane Kotetsu of Squad Four, murmured. "I'm not good at the whole dating thing."

"I will find a bride for myself." Renji Abarai of Squad Six, said, grinning.

"I will find myself a bride too." Tetsuzaemon Iba all but shouted.

"I will find myself a suitable husband, I'm sure." Nanao Ise of Squad Eight sighed.

"I'll look through the women you have here too. Like Izuru, I don't have time to just go out looking. Too many duties." Shuhei Hisagi murmured, of Squad Nine.

"I'll find one myself. Thank you." Rangiku Matsumoto of Squad Ten bit out.

"I will find someone suitable for my own compatibility." Nemu Kurotsuchi of Squad Twelve said softly.

Yamamoto nodded at all the choices the Lieutenants had made. "Those of you who decided to look through the brides of grooms we have here, you have the choice of taking one home now, which you have to marry within a month. Or you can leave today, meet all of them within the next two weeks, as they'll be staying here within the Seireitei, and then at the end of those two weeks, pick one. You then have the month to get to know them, and marry immediately. I will cut slack on paper work, because as Lieutenant Ise pointed out last time, love isn't something you can really force. Getting to know these people will be important. You'll be with them for several years after this. Hopefully, much longer."

"Am I correct in assuming that these women know they are brood mares, and these men know they are sperm donors, if the Lieutenant or Captain decides to divorce them after a few years?" Nanao asked, pushing her glasses up.

"Yes." Yamamoto answered. "Dismissed."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Whew! How crazy is that! Each chapter after this will be about a Captain or Lieutenant and their romance. Some will be involved with each other though. Each Chapter will be titled by the Bleach Character they involve, rather it be one or two. Be looking for an update. First is Byakuya!<p>

And what do you guys think of Captain Takeshi Maki?

P.S.- I have purposely left out the looks of the few OC's that have been introduced, so they will be revealed in their chapters.


	2. Byakuya Part 1

Chapter 2- Byakuya Kuchiki Part 1

No sooner than Byakuya had left the meeting, he was home at his family estate, speaking with the Elders within his home. They were _overjoyed_ with the idea of him re-marrying and giving an heir. In his case, two children. More _joy_.

"I will search out a bride for myself." He told them, much to their obvious _displeasure._ They would surely try to find the best match for him in the upper social circles, to afraid he would marry a lowly commoner again. He wouldn't do that again though. He would search out higher class women for a wife. He would do so on his own merit.

What his family wanted in a woman would come down to a few things: Good breeding, money, and beauty.

None of this particularly mattered to him. He wanted her to be healthy, kind, and well versed in how to work social circles. Hisana had been eaten alive the first social gathering he had ever taken her to. She never went to one again, and many considered this a victory of some sort. His family was _shamed_ by it. Holding no sympathy for her.

"Compile a list for me of all the family's that have eligible daughters. I will visit them in time." Byakuya ordered, before standing. "And I do mean all."

* * *

><p>Byakuya looked through the list of at least forty women that his family had compiled for him and bit back the need to sigh aloud. They all watched him as his eyes scanned over each name.<p>

"Brush and ink." He said, holding his hand out. When the items were put in his hand, he slashed out over half of the names. Those women had picked on Hisana mercilessly, and he would be damned before he married a single one of them.

"Those are noble houses!" One elder cried when he seen the revised list.

"No, these are noble houses." Byakuya said, skimming over the remaining names.

"Most of those are minor families! We had hoped you to marry a large, wealthy family." Another elder spoke.

"We have enough wealthy as it is." Byakuya put in. "Bringing honor to a minor family would be better suited, I think." His tone broke no argument.

The Elders bowed stiffly to him and he in turn, stood. "Set up meetings immediately. I will take the next three days off to meet with these women. They have an hour a piece to convince me to marry them."

* * *

><p>Byakuya felt the urge to draw Senbonzakura to drive the sixteenth girl from his home. His family seemed to really like her family, so this girl was trying everything in her power to land him as a husband. Including, stripping down to nothing to show her that she had an excellent body.<p>

"Put your clothes back on, and get out." He said, coldly. "If I wanted a whore, I'd go to a whore house."

The girl hurriedly put back on her clothes and ran from the room, tears in her eyes.

"What was wrong with this girl?" The Elders sighed later.

"She stripped before me thinking her body was pleasing enough to win me over into a marriage. I showed her how wrong she was, simply." Byakuya answered.

"The girl claims you bid her strip." One Elder put in.

"Oh? Is she so quick to bring shame to her family?" Byakuya asked. "I can certainly prove her wrong."

"No!" Another Elder cried. "We have enough families angry at us for your inability to choose a wife!"

"Tch. Send the next girl that arrives to the sitting room. I'll be there. And have fresh tea brought when she arrives. Who is it?" Byakuya ordered.

"Masami Kawaguchi. Her family owns a large port. Wealthy in their own right. They supply us with a lot of the fish, clams, oysters, eel, octopus, and other foods from the sea." One Elder supplied.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow briefly before he disappeared from the room to go and wait.

* * *

><p>Masami knelt before Byakuya Kuchiki and bowed. "Greetings Kuchiki-sama. It is the honor of the Kawaguchi family to meet you. My name is Masami."<p>

She rose to her knees, sitting across the small table from him as a servant laid out tea and small cookies for them to sip and eat. Once the servant had gone, Byakuya poured her a cup of tea, ignoring her protests that she should be doing it for him.

She took the glass when he held it out to her, motioning toward the sugar and milk set out.

Masami ignored both and took a small sip of her tea.

"Tell me, Kawaguchi-san, why I should consider you for marriage." Byakuya asked after a few moments.

Masami set down her tea and clasped her hands in her lap, poised and elegant. Why she considered her answer, Byakuya took the time to look her over. Her name meant _elegant beauty_. Her mother had chosen wisely when she named her. Her dark brown hair was piled a top of her head, held in place by several elegant hair chopsticks, adored with jewels. Her eyes were a warm amber color, and slanted upwards just slightly. Her skin was milky white, and she stood no more than five foot six inches tall, and her build was slim and slight, but she had curves in all the right places. Her nose was small, slender, and turned up slightly at the tip, and her mouth was full, pouting even. She wore an elegant black kimono set off by a pale pink obi. She was beautiful. . .But beauty didn't make her the right choice.

"I was hoping you could save me." She answered at last.

"I don't understand." Byakuya intoned, meeting her eyes.

Masami took a deep breath and said, "I must leave my home, soon, Kuchiki-sama, or I am sure I will die. The threat comes from within, and from a source that I'm afraid no one is going to believe."

Byakuya raised his eyebrow at her slightly. "Is this the plan your parents came up with to get me to marry you?"

"No!" Masami cried out, obviously upset over the allegation. "I mean what I say, Kuchiki-sama. I can show you, something, to help prove to you . .but I heard that the young woman before you. . .she tried to win you with body. I'm not trying to do that. . .but. . ." She trailed off before turning, giving him her back. Carefully, she slid her elegant kimono off her shoulders, revealing scars and even fresh lash marks. The black kimono was so thick, any blood that managed to soak through did not show.

Byakuya moved to her side, touching one of the old scars carefully. "Explain."

"As you might know, the Kawaguchi family is ran by my mother. The first born child always rules the family, regardless of sex. When my mother married my father, a second born son from a very minor noble family, he wanted her to have a son. The child would carry his name, and thus, the Kawaguchi's would no longer exist. We only managed to keep our family name for as long as we have, by marry female heir's off to distance cousin's of the same name. There were none to be had when my mother came of age." Masami took a shaky breath. "My father's family believes that a woman's place is. . .to bear children only. She has no right's ruling a family, or even speaking her mind. I was born first, and that put a stop to his plans. So he began beating me early on, a tradition in his family. Mother doesn't know. He said if she ever found out. . .he'd kill me. If I marry off, my brother will rule. . .and the Kawaguchi's exist no more. . ."

"You fear for you life, truly." Byakuya said, a little surprised himself. None of this could have been done to win him over. Some of the scars were old, thick, horrible looking. Kawaguchi-san needed his position and power to hide behind. . .

"I will marry you, but you will retain your family fortune as your own. Once you are mine, you father would be a fool to touch you. Your family is going to disappear either way. Might as well do it for a better reason than your father's, correct?" Byakuya intoned, helping her pull her kimono back up and over her shoulders, settling it in place.

"But he will find a way. . ." She argued weakly.

"I've met your mother before, Kawaguchi-san, and she is a strong woman. Be her. Don't let anyone ever tell you what to do. I don't expect you to roll over and just give me children as your father thinks you should. I expect you to be active in your own life, and now learning how to rule your family, and lead mine. A lot of work for a noble wife."

"I can do it." She said, vehemently.

"We shall see." Byakuya said, standing. He walked to the door and opened it. "Send for Kawaguchi-san mother only, as well as the Kuchiki Elders. We have a marriage to arrange." He told a servant who was walking down the hall.

Within an hour, the last girl that Byakuya had left to meet with had arrived and left, in tears and shouting angrily that he'd regret not marrying her. Kawaguchi-san's mother and the Kuchiki Elder's had all been assembled.

Etsuko Kawaguchi-Tachibana was a beautiful woman, and just as young looking and vibrant as her daughter. Masami clearly favored her mother in looks, all except for the hair. Kawaguchi-Tachibana-san's hair was a deep golden color.

"It would honor me to take your daughter for my bride, Kawaguchi-Tachibana-san." Byakuya began. "I think you would benefit from having the Head of the Kuchiki Clan as your son-in-law. However, I understand in such marriages, there will be negotiations. I will hear your side now."

Etsuko bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement before saying in a low but lovely voice, "It would be a great benefit to have you, Kuchiki-sama, as a son-in-law. However, my Masami has yet to tell me why she has tried to give up her position as my heir. It was a time honored tradition in my family that the first born rule, rather they marry up or down. And my daughter, being first born, carries my maiden name, not her father's. I will have this knowledge before I say yes to even letting her marry off."

Byakuya glanced quickly at Masami and noticed the brief look of panic in her eyes.

"Need not fear. I ask that in return for Kawaguchi-san's hand in marriage, that she still rule over her family as was her right. She agreed to accept the terms." Byakuya supplied before Masami could stutter out an answer.

"Is this true, my Masami?" Etsuko asked of her daughter.

"Yes, mother. I am sorry for the distress I caused you. I suppose that I had a brief panic when the summons came for eligible women came for the House of Kuchiki. I thought it would be a great honor for me to marry him, more so than my ruling. I should have talked things threw with you. Kuchiki-sama helped me make the right choice in the end though." Masami lied smoothly to her mother. She hated doing so, but years of hiding what her father had done to her made her a pro at it.

Etsuko nodded her head at her daughter, turning back to Byakuya said, "Negotiations? My daughter obviously won't be able to split her time between the two house holds. She'll have to rule from her, and trust her siblings to carry out her orders as she wills them. However, if I know my son, who has somehow gotten it into his head that he was going to rule instead of my Masami, this cannot be so. My son will be married off here shortly. He is of age. It will be throw my youngest daughter that Masami will rule. My daughter will need her own office, and trusted staff to deliver messages between the households."

"Done." Byakuya said, easily. "My only request, as we are merging the families of Kuchiki and Kawaguchi, is that someone other than Kawaguchi-san's father walk her down the aisle. Tachibana is not the household we are marrying into."

"Understood completely, Kuchiki-sama. My brother shall walk my daughter on her wedding day. Is the acceptable, my Masami?" Etsuko asked her daughter.

"Yes mother." Masami replied, smiling. She could nearly jump for joy. Her wedding day, arranged as it was, per say, would not be marred by an ugly memory of her father giving her away on the most special of days for a woman.

Byakuya slid his eyes to the Elders and they spoke, lies for him, and said, "We would like to take your daughter until the time of the wedding. She will stay on an estate away from Byakuya-sama, and will learn what she needs to on how to run the Kuchiki household. She will also be purified and pampered for the day of her marriage."

"That is fine. Will her family be able to visit her?" Etsuko asked.

"Females only. The estate is a retreat for the women of the Kuchiki clan. No man may enter but a few male servants who do maintenance. When they are there, the women are taken else where. The purity of the place is not to be defiled." A female Elder spoke.

Etsuko nodded again. "Perfect. My daughter could use some pampering. She has always been such a tense and serious child. Maybe this will help her relax."

* * *

><p>Masami was in heaven by the time she reached the private Kuchiki estate. She didn't have to worry about her father, nor even her brother anymore. One hour speaking with Kuchiki-sama had changed her life. For the better, she thought. Unless Kuchiki-sama was also the kind to beat women, she doubted there was anything he could really do that would make her life as miserable as her father made her feel.<p>

The women of the Kuchiki clan weren't exactly warm to her, but they were a lot kinder then what she was used to. Her father's family treated her with a cold disdain. Mostly because they either hated for being female and next to rule her family, or for being female and having power. She hated her father's family. She hated that they'd be at the wedding.

"Kawaguchi-san, we've prepared a hot bath for you to soak in. After you have soaked long enough, a healing will come in to look at your back. She will help heal the cuts you have, and try and reduce the scarring on the old ones." A servant spoke from behind her.

Masami knew she didn't manage to keep the surprised look from her face.

"Lord Kuchiki sent orders to have them looked at, and to use the most utmost discretion possible. Has this angered you, Kawaguchi-san?" The servant asked. "Kuchiki-sama wished to know if this bothered you that he has done this, and you are allowed to deny the treatment if you want to."

"I. . .no, I'm not angry. Simply surprised. Tell Kuchiki-sama thank you for his kindness, for me, please. I will take that bath now."

The servant bowed at the waist and motioned her out of the room and down a hallway.

Masami found the room with the bath set out for her. The tub easily could have fit her family and most of their household. She gaped at the size of it for only a moment before she began to disrobe, folding her clothes and setting them neatly to the side. She removed all the decorations from her hair then laid them atop her clothes.

Finally, she stepped into the deep pool and sighed happily. The water was hot and soothing. She submersed herself slowly, mindful of the cuts on her back.

She sighed in pleasure once the brief sting disappeared, and allowed herself a moment to float in the water. Freedom had never felt so good.

"I'm coming in."

Masami splashed about and managed to swallow a mouth full of water when Byakuya's voice cut through her solitude.

The door slid open just barely after she submerged herself to her chin.

"The Elders said no men came here except for. . ." Masami started, heat rushing to her face.

"They said exactly as I instructed them to tell your family. Besides, do you really think I wouldn't be here, visiting you, at times before our wedding? Do you really want to marry a stranger?" Byakuya asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

"N. . no." Masami murmured, looking away. "Of course not, Kuchiki-sama."

"Byakuya."

"What?" Masami asked, meeting his eyes again.

"You will be my wife, call me Byakuya." He told her.

"Of course, Byakuya-sama, thank you. Please, call me Masami." She replied, casting her eyes back to the water. It was then that she noticed the water was so clear, it didn't matter that she was hiding in it, he could see everything, if he looked. Heat flared through her face once more and she lowered her head.

"The healer is right outside, and I am going to be here while she looks you over." Byakuya told her. "Are you ready to get out of the bath?"

Truly, she wasn't. However, she wasn't about to tell the Head of the Kuchiki house hold to wait on her so she could play.

"Take a few more minutes. I'm going to get the healer set up in a room. When I return, we shall go see her, together." Byakuya said, before she could answer. With that, he left, leaving Masami to wonder if she had let her face or eyes betray her want. If so, she would have to work harder on keeping her emotions in check.

She let herself fall back into the floating position, her hair streaming about her in the water. Her eyes slid close and she blocked out all sounds except for her own breathing. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, she fully relaxed.

She stayed like that for so long, she didn't even realize Byakuya had came back into the room until a hand touched her shoulder. She snapped her eyes open and found herself near the edge of the small pool, him kneeling down, arm outstretched.

She let herself fall into the water so she could stand, and she came up, Byakuya had his hand still held out to help her from the pool.

"Let's go." He murmured, pulling her out, and wrapping her in a huge, thick, and fluffy towel.

* * *

><p>Byakuya kept his eyes straight ahead as he led Masami to the healer. Burned into his mind was the image of her body, floating in the water, hair haloed out around her. Beautiful wasn't even a word to describe her. She surpassed human beauty in that instant, and left something for goddesses to be jealous of. Even Hisana wouldn't have been able to ever compare to her.<p>

Byakuya swallowed thickly and dared a glance at her. She clutched the towel around her tightly, her cheeks flushed red, and eyes downcast. She hadn't said a single word since he had made his presence known to her. She was probably mortified beyond belief in that instant.

He cursed to himself, slightly, turning his eyes back ahead. High bred women were raised to keep themselves covered and never show their bodies to anyone but their husbands. Betrothed he may be, but not a husband yet. If she knew that he had spent a good five minutes, just staring at her, she might have called the marriage off, shamed at his soon to be husband's blatant perversions.

He opened a door and motioned her inside.

The old woman who awaited them had been with his family for far, far longer than he had been alive. And his grandfather claimed to have known her when he was a child, and she had been with them even longer still.

"Masami-san, this is the Healer. She is going to look at your back. She also has be the one who helps you through the birthing process later." Byakuya introduced.

"Greetings." Masami said, bowing deeply as she could in a towel. "Thank you for taking the time to come and see me. It means a lot."

"Nonsense. I'm doing my job. Rise, rise little girl. Forget formalities when it comes to me. I don't expect you to do such greetings when you are ripe with child, so let's put a stop to it now. Lie on this table, face down. You may lower the towel to cover your backside, and legs. Nothing more." The Healer said, down to business.

Masami walked over to the table, and lowered the towel to cover her backside before climbing up on it as the Healer bid. She pillowed her head on her arms and faced Byakuya, watching him closely as the Healer came to her, touching her back gently.

"Some of these scars are very, very old. I cannot remove most of them. I have a chance with the fresh ones. . .Nothing more. I am very sorry Byakuya." the Healer said, turning to face the Head of the Kuchiki House. "Perhaps Captain Kurotsuchi, and his science might be able to do something for her, but not I. Nor will Captain Unohana be able to do anything, I think."

Byakuya shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. We were simply seeing if it were possible, and it is not. As for Captain Kurotsuchi, no. I wouldn't let him touch her. Her blood would be on my hands then, if he did something to her. Nothing is worth going to that man for help."

Masami buried her face in her arms to hide her disappointment. She had so hoped that the scars would be gone forever, and the reminder of her father with them. It was not to be, though.

The Healer began to rub a salve on her back that burned and stung like the whip that had been used to put the very wounds there.

Masami hissed and turned to see what the Healer was doing, but Byakuya was there, putting a hand on the top of her head, to keep from raising it. "You don't want to see." He murmured.

"What's happening?" Masami asked, trying to distract herself from the pain.

"You are healing. The salve forces the healing process. It's worse for you, because your father always let them go untreated. Your body is pushing out the infections that had settled into the wounds. After that, the skin will begin to knit itself back together, then the salve will eat the scar tissue." Byakuya explained. "This is considered a very primal healing. The Forth Divisions doesn't use it, as they have learned other ways of healing. This way, though, guarantees no scars. We also use it after our women have given birth. It repairs the skin and inside of the woman quickly, so she can be fully healthy in no time."

Masami bit her lip as a fresh wave of pain set itself ablaze in her back. Tears leaked out of her eyes, and she almost wanted to run from the room and jump back into the pool to wash the stuff off. She would rather deal with the scars than this. It burned worse now, than any lashes ever did.

Byakuya's hand left her head and clasped itself over one of her clenched fists. "You are doing well."

Years of beatings had taught her not to make a single noise. One noise and she might get a beating worse than she had before. She didn't make noise then, and she wouldn't make a single one now. She was strong, in this way, at least.

He wiped sweat from her brow in the next few hours as her back healed itself. He held her hair back as the salve began to eat the scar tissue, causing her to get sick from the pain, and the smell of burning flesh.

When it was over, she was covered in a sheen of sweat and shaking like a new born colt. Byakuya simply wrapped her up in her towel and lifted her into his arms.

She blacked out before she could ever see where he was taking her.

* * *

><p>Byakuya set across from Etsuko, sipping tea, and waiting for the leader of the Kawaguchi Clan to speak.<p>

"My daughter is an accomplished liar, Kuchiki-sama. She does only one thing when she's lying, that tells me that she's doing it. She will glance away, just briefly. Any other time, my daughter never looks away from someone's eyes when she speaks to them. My daughter has been lying to me for years now, Kuchiki-sama. As a mother, I ask that you find out why she lies so. . ."

"I already know." Byakuya said, placing down the cup of tea, barely touched. "And it is not my place to tell. It is hers."

Etsuko sighed and looked down into her tea cup. "My husband is most upset that Masami is still going to rule the Clan. He believes I should pass on leadership to my son. He said Masami wanted to do that, that she doesn't want to rule. He said that she told him she would sell out the business if she had to. . ."

"Do you believe him?" Byakuya asked, keeping his face blank.

"I. . .don't know. My husband and I have never really gotten along. His marriage to me was set up by my parents and his. I never had the luxury of searching out my own husband. His family. . .his family believes that women don't have a place ruling. It was a rude wake up call for him when he realized that he would never be anything but the means for giving me heirs. He was more upset when he realized that our daughter, our firstborn, would rule and not a son." Etsuko trailed off.

"Was he. . .happy when you had a son?" Byakuya asked.

"Yes, he was. He always coddled our son, and he accused me of coddling our daughter when I would train her to take over the family. I'm afraid Masami really doesn't know her siblings that well since she was raised away from them. They had different tutors, Masami always ate with the adults and family, learning always from us, while her brother and sister ate with their father in the family wing." Etsuko murmured, sitting her own tea down on the table and pushing it away.

"Perhaps, you should help attend your daughter before her wedding day? I'm sure every bride loves having her mother at her side before her big day." Byakuya suggested. "It would also give you time to lay your worries at rest."

"Perhaps so, Kuchiki-sama, perhaps so. I'm sorry for taking up your time. I'm sure you'd like to get back to my daughter." Etsuko said, rising.

Byakuya did nothing to hide the look of surprise on his face.

"I'm a mother, and despite my fragile appearance, I am also a skilled fighter. I was able to track your movements to my daughter. I trust the Kuchiki Clan enough to believe you are doing nothing to dishonor my daughter, and I trust my daughter not to dishonor herself. Have a care, Kuchiki-sama, that no one else finds out. Names get ruined through vile whispers, as you well know."

With that, Etsuko disappeared, and Byakuya swore to find out a little more about his soon to be in-laws. They were not as so harmless as they seemed.

* * *

><p>The day of the wedding had Masami's heart fluttering in her chest, almost like a bird in a cage. She breathed slowly, in through her nose, and out through her mouth. <em>Calm<em>, she told herself. She poised herself slowly as a horse drawn carriage took her to the Kuchiki Manor, where she would be prepared for the wedding.

She had been woken up early, before the sun even made itself known in the sky, and was soaked in a milk bath with honey. Her hair was washed and scented oils placed within in. They brushed it until it fell like a silken waterfall around her. She wore her hair up so often, she nearly forgot how long it was at times. As she had walked, nude, down the hallways to the next room where scented oils were rubbed into her skin, her hair had caressed the backs of her thighs, swinging with each step.

The entire walk, her servants that were preparing her gushed over her beauty. She had always been told she was beautiful, even as a small child, but never had so many went on and on about it.

The women had absolutely gushed more when a blush spread across her cheeks, and then they were on about the makeup they would do when they reached Kuchiki Manor. They never mentioned her scars. Rather if it was by order, or respect, she'd never know.

Hours of pampering her had led to them slipping her into a lovely pale pink kimono, and loaded into the carriage to be shown to the Kuchiki Manor.

"It's always the Kuchiki family that picks out what the bride wears, what the decorations are, and what the guests will eat. It's sort of sad, in a way, because it's never your dream wedding, but its sure to be a dream none the same." One girl servant chatted to her. "They spare no expense, so I'm sure you will take Kuchiki-sama's breath away when he sees you."

Masami smiled gently at the girl and said, "We can only hope so, yes?"

When the carriage finally came to a halt, it was Byakuya himself who opened the door and helped her out.

"Greetings, Byakuya-sama." Masami said with a small smile.

Byakuya inclined his head to her and led her into the Manor, her servants following. "Your father is making a spectacle of himself, angry that he is not the one to walk you down the aisle. He is even more angry when I denied him the right to see you before you become my wife."

"Thank you." Masami murmured.

Byakuya stopped outside a door and opened it enough for her to go through, and not looking in it himself. "I shall see you in a few hours. Until then, Masami-san."

Masami entered the room but halted immediately, seeing her mother kneeling there, waiting. "Mother?"

"I am here to help you prepare for your wedding day. Also, so we can talk." Etsuko said, standing and hugging her daughter tightly. "There is much to talk about, I am afraid."

"It's not nice to stress the bride before her wedding day, mother." Masami joked weakly. "If it is business, it can surely wait, right?"

"Business, no. This is a talk you and I have needed to have for a long while." Etsuko said, turning Masami around and beginning to take off the obi and then slid the kimono off her shoulders. "All this hair! You would never let us cut it!" Etsuko swept it to the side and gasped.

"He was going to kill me." Masami said, miserably, and casting her eyes to the floor.

The servants in the room stayed silent, each not daring to intrude on this moment with mother and daughter.

"Your father? He did this, didn't he!" Etsuko demanded, spinning her daughter around to face her, looking her in the eyes.

Masami nodded.

"He wanted you to renounce your claim as the next head of the Kawaguchi Clan, didn't he? It would naturally go to your brother, the next oldest." Etsuko said, and when Masami nodded, she continued. "And since your brother carries your father's name, the Kawaguchi Clan would cease to be."

"Yes." Masami whispered.

Etsuko released Masami suddenly and stumbled to the wall, one hand clutched over her heart, and tears pouring down her face. "I can't even protect my daughter. What kind of mother am I? How could I have not known? I took that _bastards_ word and never thought to question it! And yet he questioned every action I have ever done. _Bastard!_"

"Mother. . .It's okay. When I rule the family, he will be sent away. Byakuya-sama will keep my safe, this marriage, is keeping me safe!" Masami tried to assure her mother.

"You won't have to wait that long, I will send that bastard packing before dawn has even made itself known tomorrow. His word against mine is nothing. Even attempting to slander the Kawaguchi or Kuchiki name will land him in the poorest of districts within the Soul Society." Etsuko hissed. "And your brother, he having without a doubt known of this, will have to make a choice. Submit himself to you, and spend the rest of his life making up for what he has taken part in, or go with his father. Even your father's family won't take him back with you now baring the name Kuchiki."

"Well, until these actions have taken place, today is supposed to by a happy day, mother. I am getting married." Masami said, with a small smile, trying to distract her mother from her anger and pain. "Let us prepare."

Etsuko nodded. "Of course, my Masami. Let us prepare."

Masami was set before a vanity and the servants began to apply makeup to her face. They emphasized her high cheekbones with a pale pink blush, brushed her eyelids with a liquid silver, and lined her bottom eyelid with black. They brushed the palest of pinks just below her eyebrows, nearly unseen, but emphasized the silver.

"Traditionally, we like to paint the lips a deep red," A servant told her and her mother. "But with the wedding kimono, your complexion, and the makeup we have already applied, I think just a pink will do. Red will take away from your natural beauty."

"I couldn't agree more." Etsuko smiled at her from the mirror's reflection.

Once the make up was finished, and a light shimmer was added to her face, neck, and in her cleavage, the servants moved away.

"I will do your hair myself, just as I did once when you were a child. . ." Etsuko said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "My beautiful little girl."

Etsuko pulled half her hair up into a very beautiful knot, adorning it with jeweled pins to hold it in place. The rest hung down her back.

"The gown falls off the shoulders. It was bare part of your back. The Kuchiki clan wanted all your hair pulled up, but I bet your soon to be husband can go tell them to suck an egg, right?" Etsuko told her daughter, making her stand.

Masami gaped at her mother, then laughed.

"I may be a proper lady in front of everyone's eyes, but I am still a hard headed woman inside." Etsuko said, smiling. "You can be the same way. If this Kuchiki-sama will learn to love you like I'm sure he will, he will love every part of you. Even the not so lady-like side."

The servants moved forward with more scented oils. They put a dab at the tip of each breast, behind her ears, on her inner elbows, behind her knees, and when they reached to place some in her womanhood, Masami squawked and leapt away. "I will be fine without any oils there, thank you."

The servant shrugged her shoulder and moved away from her, placing the oil down.

Next, a pale white, very see through under kimono was brought to her. She placed it on and tied it closed with the small strings. Then a pale pink kimono was brought, equally as thin. Then a silver, also thin and see through. Finally, a heavier white, and embroidered kimono was brought to her. She placed it on, and the weight of it dragged the other kimono's down, making them rest about her shoulders, and showing her upper back, and some cleavage.

The servants brought the a deep silver obi, and tied it in place. Countless diamonds sparkled from it, making Masami slightly nervous. The outer kimono was adorned with diamonds and pale pink crystals shaping up to be Sakura petals on diamond branches.

"You look so beautiful." Her mother told her.

"With the silver you wear, your eyes look more gold than amber. Very beautiful." An older servant told her.

"Now, we must walk you to another room." Her mother told her as the servants helped her slip on some silver slippers adorned with more jewels. "There, Kuchiki-sama will be waiting to give you your bride gift before the wedding."

"Bride gift? Was I supposed to give him a groom gift?" Masami asked, not panicked a little.

"Yes, and the Kuchiki clan thoughtfully provided you with one, however, it is also a custom to give another gift to each other after the ceremony and in front of all the guests, before receiving your wedding gifts from the guests. So, I decided that the Kawaguchi clan gift should go to him as the groom gift, and there's can wait to be gifted in front of the guests." Etsuko smiled, handing her daughter a long and slightly heavy box.

Masami opened it to reveal a ceremonial katana, the sheath made of silver and adorned with jewels. "He will wear this to the ceremony?"

"Yes, to honor you he will. A wedding is the one day a Shinigami will lay down the zanpakuto and carry up another blade. The Kuchiki family gift is another blade, much smaller, and meant to be for cutting the umbilical cord from your children you will bear him."

"That might embarrass him mother." Masami murmured.

"I know, right?" Etsuko laughed.

Masami smiled again, loving this side of her mother. She didn't think she would be as calm and as relaxed if her mother treated this like a cold arranged marriage that it technically was. . .even if she did pick a husband for herself. _No,_ she reminded herself, _he picked me._

Masami placed the lid back on the box and smiled at her mother. "Let us go then, so I may give this gift to Byakuya-sama."

They walked down endless hallways, led through many doors, all while not seeing a single soul.

"The wedding is being held in their formal room, it is huge! Easily seven or eight times the size of ours!" Her mother explained. "The reception will be held in their courtyard, also very big."

"Here we are." A servant said, stopping at a door. She opened it and Masami walked in, finding Byakuya in a black kimono set off by a few diamonds here and there. No where near as embellished as hers, but still beautiful none the less. The door closed behind her and Byakuya rose to his feet.

"You look beautiful, Masami-san." He murmured, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.

"Thank you, Byakuya-sama. You look quiet handsome yourself." Masami replied, smiling.

His lips quirked up, just a bit, in what Masami would hold as a smile. He released her hand and reached into his kimono, pulling out a small box and handing it to her. He in turn, took the large box from her hands and held it.

"Please, open your gift." He told her.

Masami opened the small white box to find a small tiara within it. She swallowed hard and looked up at him, smiling. "It is very beautiful, thank you. Would you. . ."

Byakuya set down his gift and lifted the small tiara and placed it atop her head, carefully. Much to her surprise, he pressed a kiss to her brow before he stepped away.

He helped her kneel and he kneeled across from her, touching the box containing his gift with gentle finger tips. "May I?" He asked.

Masami nodded and Byakuya lifted the box into his lap, and pulled off the lid. He lifted the katana from inside the box and drew the blade slowly.

"It is very beautiful." He told her, turning the blade for her to see. Down the blade were her and his names. "As we have our children, their names will be added to the blade. A most thoughtful gift, thank you." He sheathed the blade and slid it into his obi to rest.

They spent the next hour talking, enjoying each other's company, and relaxing before they had to face the crowds.

Just before Byakuya had to leave and take his place at the alter, a knock sounded at the door. It opened before Byakuya could bid anyone to enter, and a man walked in.

Masami swallowed hard as her father walked into the room, eyes angry, but trying to remain poised. He failed.

"This room is reserved for the bride and groom only. You better have a good reason for being here." Byakuya growled, standing.

"What? A father cannot see his daughter before she marries off?"

Byakuya lifted one finger and suddenly, the man was flying, out of the room and through a wall. "No."

Servants ran into the room and Byakuya motioned them toward the mess. "Fix that, and Tachibana would like to go home. He isn't feeling well enough to attend the wedding. If he tries to come back, use any force necessary to remove him."

Masami watched the brief flurry of activity all while Byakuya supervised.

"Are you okay?" He asked moments later.

"Uh. . .yes. I'm sorry. . . No, I'm not. If you hadn't had been here, I fear what would have happened. Either way, it wouldn't have been a happy day." Masami whispered, struggling to stand.

Byakuya leaned down and lifted her by the waist, hoisting her easily to her feet. He pressed a small kiss to her brow and turned to the servants waiting in the hallway. "Please escort, Masami-san to the final room to wait with her uncle until she walks the aisle. I must go take my place at the alter."

Masami felt like his kiss had burned her. She felt the place his lips had gently brushed way past the time she was handed off to her uncle.

"I was told your father tried to get to you." Her uncle said as a greeting.

"Yes," Masami answered. "But worry not uncle. Byakuya-sama handled him personally, and is having him escorted off the property. He will not be allowed in any part of the wedding, for which I am glad."

"Your mother told me. . ." Her uncle trailed off and let his eyes dart to her naked shoulder. "I wish to kill the bastard myself, little one."

"I think I've spilled enough blood on the floors of our family halls. Adding to it won't reverse what was done." Masami said, maybe a little sharply. "Soon, that man will have nothing left to call his own. He will know that he brought it upon himself. Maybe not at first, but in time. That's a good enough revenge as far as I am concerned."

Her uncle chucked her chin lightly. "Spoken like one who is meant to lead."

The moment ended when a servant opened the door, informing them it was time.

Masami's heart began to pound in her chest, and for a moment, she forgot how to breath. She forced her lungs to work again, taking in a deep breath and then letting it out. She took her uncle's offered arm and let herself be led from the room and down the hallway.

Ahead, music began to play, alerting all that the bride was making her way toward the room. Then the doors opened. . .

* * *

><p>Masami laughed as another gift was presented before her. Byakuya didn't seem to share her amusement at seeing the garishly wrapped pink gift, no doubt containing something else for the day that Masami would bear him a child.<p>

Masami opened it then promptly slammed the lid down on the box and passed it off to Byakuya.

Byakuya cocked an eyebrow and opened the box, peering inside at the contents. All kinds of sex toys, books on sex positions, and other items filled the medium sized box. He picked up the tag and wasn't surprised to see Yoruichi's name scrawled across it.

"An old friend with a bad sense of humor." Byakuya told Masami.

"What is it?" Someone in the crowd yelled, causing laughter to ripple through the large crowd.

"Nothing meant for the eyes of young people." Byakuya answered, passing the box off to a servant.

Masami accepted the next gift a lot more cautiously, causing Byakuya to be amused.

Finally, all the guests gift's had been opened and it was time for the pair to exchange gifts again.

Masami lifted the box that contained the gift that the Kuchiki Elders had provided for her. She handed him the box shyly, awaiting for him to open it.

Byakuya opened the box then shifted his eyes to hers. With a look, she knew that he knew she hadn't picked it out for him. "My family must have helped you pick this. It is most thoughtful, however, I think I love the blade that _you yourself_ picked for me."

Masami saw his family shrink back, some glaring slightly at her, as he lifted the dagger from its box.

Masami turned her head slightly to hide the small grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Some of the more drunk people in the crowd cheered at the site of the dagger, showing off their immaturity in such situations.

Byakuya lifted a small box from the inside of his wedding attire and placed it in her hands.

Masami carefully opened the box to find a jewel encrusted her comb in it. She smiled and at Byakuya, knowing her mother probably told him how much she adored hair combs. She lifted it for the crowd to see, while she thanked Byakuya.

They all set down to eat after that, enjoying the lavish meal, and some people enjoying more free alcohol.

Masami laughed at the antics of some of the guests, clapping when a few of them decided to get into a dance contest when a section was cleared out for such a reason.

* * *

><p>Byakuya was surprised at how beautiful his bride was. She had nearly stolen his breath upon their first meeting, and now, on the wedding day, she successfully had robbed him of it. Only through his careful composure did he manage to keep up his façade. Watching her now, smiling, laughing, and enjoy herself made something tug at his heart strings.<p>

He had thought a woman would never effect him like this. Not after Hisana. But this woman was so much more than Hisana was.

He had loved Hisana more than he could ever thought possible, but he also knew that he had partially married her as a rebellious act. One of the few he would ever pull. She hadn't loved him though. Not the way a husband and wife should love each other. It had been an easy way out for her, and she grasped it with both hands.

He didn't blame her, and never would. There would never be any anger toward her, when in the end, he had received something very precious to him, Rukia. As much a sister as she was almost a daughter to him, she was all he had lived for, for so long.

Now he had another, and she threatened to consume all he was. It frightened him, but there was an underlining thread of excitement. She would give to this union, as would he. . . But until he was able to put the memory of Hisana to rest completely, he would not be the best of husband to her, and he knew this.

How did you let go of someone you loved for so long? Certainly not as quickly as some would like.

Byakuya broke through his thoughts when Masami laid a hand on his arm. "Would you dance with me?" She asked hopefully.

* * *

><p>Masami was slightly puzzled by Byakuya's sudden change. He seemed lost in his thoughts, and had pulled away from the rest of them, just slightly. Hoping to distract him from whatever was causing such a severe frown on his face, she asked him to dance.<p>

Now, as he led her gracefully around the dance floor, he allowed his mouth to lift just slightly.

A smile, if anything was, Masami thought.

"Soon enough, I can promise that the Elders are going to force our early retirement." Byakuya whispered to her. "I hope it doesn't cause you to much embarrassment. They are just overjoyed at the thought of an heir."

Masami blushed slightly and looked away. She had been so focused on trying to enjoy her wedding, she had put all thoughts of the wedding night itself out of her head. Now she felt slightly miserable. She had no knowledge of what to do in the wedding chambers. Byakuya had at least been married before.

As he predicted, the Elders made the announcement that the bride and groom would have one last dance before they headed off to bed.

Byakuya led her around the dance floor one last time, with all the wedding guest watching.

When the dance ended, and everyone applauded them, Byakuya led her away.

Masami kept her head held up and a smile plastered on her face, though she felt like running for her life.

* * *

><p>When they reached the wedding chamber, Byakuya watched as Masami busied herself removing her jewelry, hair pins, and makeup. She seemed to be fidgeting, and that gave way to how nervous she truly was.<p>

Byakuya came up behind her, taking her hair brush from her hands that she had yet to use, and began combing her tresses carefully.

"Relax, Masami-san." He told her softly. "I'm going to do my best not to hurt you."

Her shoulders seemed to tense even more at his words. Sighing, he set the brush down, and helped her stand in the heavy wedding garb. Carefully, he began to undress her. Slowly, so slowly, so she wouldn't panic.

Once they were down to the final layer, Byakuya had site of her naked body once more. He removed the last piece and placed his hands on her shoulder, sliding them up to her neck, and tilting her face up to look at him. "I will be gentle with you. Trust me."

Heat climbed up her chest, into her neck, and finally her face. Byakuya never let his eyes leave hers though. His hands slid down her arms, reaching her hands. He brought them to his own wedding garments and left them there.

Shyly, she began to undo them. Item after item fell to the floor until he stood just as nude as she did.

Her eyes traveled his bodies, and widened considerably when she reached his hardening manhood. "How will it fit?" She choked out.

Byakuya felt a faint amusement at her words, but they bellied her fear. He took her hand and touched it to his face. His slid it down his neck, chest, stomach, and stopped just at the base of his manhood. "Touch it." He whispered. "Get used to it. Don't be afraid, Masami-san."

Her fingertips barely brushed him and he grit his teeth against the moan that threatened to leave his throat. So long. It had been so long since a woman had touched him and he felt ready to spend himself in seconds like some bumbling teenage boy.

"Is this okay?" She asked, her eyes flickering up to his.

He nodded his head, and brought his own hands to her face. He tilted her face up and pressed his lips softly to hers. The kiss was slow, languid, a show of care and trust.

When they broke apart, he took her hand from his manhood and led to her to the bed. Gently, he pushed her back until she laid in the center, her body laid out like some offering to him.

In a flash, he remembered Hisana in the same position so long ago. He squished the thought and busied himself nuzzling her breasts. It would do no good to let her know that he was thinking of another woman, of a different wedding from so long ago.

Masami's breaths came in soft pants as he let his lips trace lower down her body. When he forced her legs apart, she held her breath.

He kissed her thighs, soothing her, and waited for her to relax again before he brought a finger up to trace the lips of her womanhood.

She trembled at the contact, and gasped out loud when he sank a finger into her. Her body was wet, hot, and felt so silky.

Still though, he took his time preparing her. What seemed like ages later, he added a second finger, and she reached her first orgasm. Still though, he kept his fingers pumping, and added a third.

Even later still, and after another orgasm on her part, he raised himself to enter her. In her after shocks, she didn't notice he had entered her in a swift stroke until she found herself staring into his eyes, felt his lips pressed into hers, and felt the trickle of blood on her own thighs.

"Oh." She said softly, barely noticing the pain.

His strokes were soft, sure, steady.

And when he finished after she did, he simply rolled over, reached for a cloth, then cleaned her.

Then he was gone from the wedding chamber.

* * *

><p>Masami watched Byakuya leave while her body still was quaking silently. She knew that he wasn't coming back. He had done his duty as her husband, and he would do it until she was with child, as was required of him.<p>

He smiled bitterly as tears began to softly fall from her eyes.

"Stupid." She whispered, bringing a hand up to her mouth to catch a sob that wanted to escape. "It's an arranged marriage. Stupid. Thinking it was some fairy tale because he saved you from your evil father. Stupid."

When she stopped crying, the sun was rising.

No one would bother her though. And for that, she was happy. Who wanted to see the beautiful bride with red rimmed eyes and a tear stained face?

* * *

><p>Authors Note: OMG! -falls over exhausted- I really did plan on these being one giant chapter per Captain or Lieutenant. But typing up seventeen pages made me re-think that. That and I think I owe you something. Enjoy! More to come. Maybe I can sum it up in another chapter or two. One I hope. Gah! Why did I have to do Byakuya first! -rips hair out-<p> 


	3. Byakuya Part 2

Chapter 3- Byakuya Kuchiki Part 2

Byakuya stared at the picture of his former wife, feeling nothing but guilt in that moment. Not for having remarried, no. For thinking of the dead while he made love to the living. Masami deserved better than that. She deserved better than him.

He stared into the picture and for once, felt angry. _'How dare you leave me alone. Now I have memories of you when I lay with another woman. She deserves better. I deserve better than this!' _He barely kept his lip from curling up into a snarl.

He turned and pressed his head into the wall and could just imagine Masami all alone in their marital bed. He gritted his teeth tightly and turned to leave.

"This is the last time I'm coming here, Hisana. I need to leave you behind, before I mess up and leave Masami behind." He whispered. "I refuse to let her feel that alone."

* * *

><p>Masami forced herself to get out of bed only hours after it hard risen. No one really expected her for a while longer, she was sure, still. . . She couldn't sleep.<p>

She walked over to her vanity and set down, glaring at her red lined eyes before setting out the makeup she would need for the day.

It took her a good half hour to find a look that suited her for the day, and though she had to exaggerate her eye makeup more than she liked, the look was okay. She stood from the table just as the bedroom door slid open and Byakuya walked inside.

"I was coming to see if you were up to eating breakfast." He said, meeting her eyes through the mirror. They were calm, cold, calculating as always.

Two could play at that game.

Returning the look, she said, "No, thank you. I have a lot to do today and wallowed away in bed far to long as it were."

He looked slightly perplexed, but nodded his head once and left.

Masami bit her lip, almost hoping he'd come back and say something, kiss her hand, hug her. . .She'd even let him make love to her again, as long as the awkwardness he had brought upon them would disappear.

He didn't.

She dressed for the day, left the marital room, and made her way down the hall. Her office should be set up, and she was anxious to get her mind off of it all.

* * *

><p>THREE MONTHS LATER<p>

Masami woke up alone in the marital bed again. She had come to really call it her room. Byakuya would join her as they went to bed for the evening, have sex with her. . .she refused to call it making love. He was gentle, considerate, always made sure he got her pleasure. On his end though, it seemed so cold. Like some kind of chore.

She got up and reached for the glass of water by her bed. Immediately, she felt the need to puke.

She ran as fast as she could to the bathroom and threw up.

Byakuya found her there, much later, laying on the ground in front of the toilet, sobbing softly and holding her stomach.

"Masami-san." He whispered, scooping her up into his arms. "What's wrong?"

"I think all that sex paid off." She managed to reply without puking again. There was nothing left though, still, the illness didn't go away.

It was hours later that her pregnancy was confirmed, and she felt no joy.

'_I'll love this child until my very last breath. But Byakuya. . .Will he treat the child the same way as he does me? Some duty to be carried out? The Kuchiki Clan has demanded that the first born boy be heir to the Kuchiki family. . .I selfishly hope for a little girl. . .and the next to be a girl. . .and the next. If he's with me long enough, maybe one day, he won't be so cold. . .Maybe one day, he'll really love the children the way he should.'_

* * *

><p>Byakuya watched as Masami cried, all while holding onto her stomach. He wished he could say that they were tears of joy, but he would be lying to himself.<p>

He wanted to comfort her, hold her, kiss her and tell her it was all right. . .But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't force himself any closer to her. He couldn't be the husband she deserved.

'_Damn you Hisana. I feel as if some spell is cast over me!'_ Byakuya mentally cursed as he turned to leave. Part of him cried out for him to stay, so he would in a way, be supportive.

His other half though, won out, as always. It told him to run away, and he did. Like a coward.

He stopped a servant in the hall who was heading toward Masami's room. "Make sure she has everything she needs or wants. If she wishes to sleep the day away, let her. She's carrying my child, and I won't have her anymore stressed than she already is." He growled out the orders.

"Of course, Byakuya-sama!" The servant squeaked before scurrying off.

Byakuya entered Masami's office when he came to it, sliding the door closed silently behind him. He took in the room that she had decorated to fit her wants and needs. It was simply, but wholly elegant, so much like her. Beautiful, and not even trying.

He breathed in deeply through his nose, catching the faintest whiff of her scent, the perfume she wore. . .Cherry Blossom. He sighed and walked around her desk, sitting in the chair there. Documents were stacked neatly into separate piles, labeled, and dated.

He picked up the one on the pile closest to him and skimmed over it. A letter from her mother describing how the divorce with her father was going. Not well, apparently, as he had to be forcibly removed from the estate and his family was siding with him. Too bad with the Kuchiki Clan backing up the Tachibana's, Masami's father's word was nothing but empty words on everyone's ears but their own.

"What are you doing?"

Masami stood in the door way of her office, eyes rimmed with a slight red, but otherwise, put together in her usual elegant self.

"I was going to bring you anything that looked important enough to be dealt with immediately. I thought that you might like to spend the day in your. . .our bedroom." Byakuya lied, almost smoothly.

Masami let out a soft snort, looking away with a slight glare. "You can't even call it our bedroom. For all you did for me, Byakuya-sama, I thought maybe I'd get the fairy tale ending. . .But marriage to you has caused me nothing but misery. . .And you know what. I find myself hoping I give you nothing but girls so you are stuck with me. . .and might get to know me." She laughed softly, a tear spilling down her cheek. "You married a crazy woman. Great, huh?"

Byakuya stood and walked around the desk to her. Gently, he tilted her face up and brushed his lips against hers, enjoying the red stain that crossed her cheeks. "I am a hard man to know. I am cold and I know this. I'm afraid the memory of my last wife has me. . .confused on rather I am pushing myself from you in guilt, or fear."

Masami's amber eyes blinked up into his and he found his lips pressed against hers again. The whimper that escaped her throat was like music to him.

"Give me twenty daughters, I care not." He murmured when he pulled away. "I'm sure there will be a tomboy in there somewhere I can teach sword play too."

Masami laughed and pulled away from him, ducking her head. "You should teach them all. Then we wouldn't have to fear them coming of dating age and boys trying anything."

Byakuya let his lips curl into the softest of smiles. He wondered briefly if his face would shatter, given the length of time it had been since he had smiled truly.

Masami's face still was tipped down toward the ground, but he did not miss the answering smile that curved her lips.

* * *

><p>Masami rubbed at her swollen stomach, not believing that six months had passed already since the day she discovered she was pregnant. Six months since Byakuya and she had talked and things had slowly started to improve between them.<p>

She sighed softly and stretched, rising from her desk, ignoring the few documents she had left to look over, sign, or issue orders through. As far as she was concerned, they could wait another day.

Byakuya and she were going out to pick clothes and such for the baby that would be in their lives in a little more than a month.

"Masami?"

She looked up with a smile as Byakuya entered her office, dressed in his full Captain's uniform, and looking as handsome as ever. He didn't smile much, but when he did, it was for her alone. Not even his younger sister had seen the stern man smile, she was sure.

"I'm ready to go whenever you are." She told him, smiling broadly. "It will be just a moment longer. Renji has something he wishes to ask me. Perhaps you'd like to change into something more comfortable for our trek through town?" Byakuya suggested.

"Sure." Masami agreed, suddenly feeling something in the pit of her stomach. She always was good at knowing when something was about to go down. . .at least, since moving into the Kuchiki Mansion. She always knew which of her mother's letters were going to be good or bad just be the feeling she got.

Byakuya walked down the hall with Renji behind him, the red-headed man looking nervous, but his eyes were focused.

As the two men rounded the corner, Rukia snuck out from a different one, obviously following.

"Rukia?" Masami said, causing the younger woman to jump.

"Masami-san." Rukia said, her eyes flitting nervously to where the men had disappeared too.

It dawned on Masami suddenly. "Is Renji about to ask your brother for permission to marry?"

Rukia shuffled her feet nervously. "Yes, I didn't want to, but as soon as we went to the Captain-Commander, he said I needed the Clan's permission as I still lived with him. He also didn't want a target on his back put by the Kuchiki Clan as he has been friends to them for several generations."

Masami felt her gut quench again. Surely Byakuya wouldn't. . .

Renji walked from around the corner again, and his look said it all. As she switched her gaze to Rukia, she didn't miss the tears trailing down the girls face.

"Oh Rukia. . ." Masami whispered, gathering the younger girl close to her as she could and holding her while she sobbed.

Renji stopped for only a moment, but walked away when Byakuya's spiritual pressure made itself known. Once the red-headed man was gone, Rukia tore away from her and snarled at Byakuya.

"Why! Why can't we marry?" She cried.

"Because you can do better." Byakuya said. "He barely makes it from day to day, and we both know this. You would want to be tied down to that?"

Rukia ran down the hall, her tears and sobs seen and heard for a while.

"You're a bastard, you know that right?" Masami said, turning to her husband.

"You honestly think I should have said yes?" Byakuya asked, obviously surprised that she wasn't taking his side, for once. "Or is this just the pregnancy hormones talking?"

Masami felt her lip curl into a sneer for a moment before she composed herself again. "I married a man who had once defied his family by marrying someone the family thought wasn't good enough for him. He was torn asunder by her death, and still isn't put back together completely. And yet, this same man, is denying someone else the same chance to love like that."

Byakuya looked away for only a moment before he turned back, eyes as cold as ever. "I have given my answer."

Masami turned away from him, going toward Rukia's rooms. "I don't feel quite well enough to go out today. Maybe some other time. Maybe with someone else completely. That might quell the sick feeling I have."

Byakuya didn't retort, but she could feel his anger, burning her back almost like flames licking across her skin.

* * *

><p>Masami entered Rukia's room without knocking, knowing the younger woman would deny entrance to anyone at this hard time.<p>

"He's not going to change his mind, is he?" Rukia asked with a choked sob.

"Your brother, and my husband, is a hard man. Sometimes, he comes across as cruel, but he is always looking out for the best interest of those he cares about." Masami murmured.

"So you are siding with him?" Rukia asked, miserably.

"I never said that. Sometimes, what someone thinks is best for someone, isn't. You said that Captain Yamamoto said that someone of the Kuchiki Clan had to sign. He never said your brother himself, had to sign?" Masami asked, holding her hand out for the paper she was sure Rukia herself had. Nothing so important would have been handed to Renji, just in case Byakuya tried to kill him before saying yes.

Rukia looked mildly shocked before reaching into her Shinigami robes and pulling out the document.

Masami read over it carefully then motioned for Rukia to get her a brush and ink.

She had it read within moments and Masami signed her name along the dotted line. "Come, I will go with you to deliver this document. Fetch Renji along the way. I will meet you just outside Captain Yamamoto's office. Look miserable, and if Byakuya stops you, we are going out because I deemed you needed away from Kuchiki Manor for a little while, yes?"

* * *

><p>Masami laid the document on Captain Yamamoto's desk, her signature prominent on the piece of paper.<p>

"It was my intention for Byakuya to sign this." the old man said, glancing down at the document.

"Then you should have worded your letter better. As it stands, it says any Kuchiki can sign off on the document. That includes a whole wide range of people. It just so happens that, I, Wife of Byakuya Kuchiki signed this letter. You will marry these two, yes?" She said with a dark smile. "Or I'm sure I can cause hell for you."

Yamamoto opened an eye to stare at her, seemingly unnerved by her small threat. "You have big words for one so small and with no martial training in fighting at all."

"Who needs martial training when you have the biggest port in this known world?" Masami said cheerfully. "Marry them?"

"You would really cut off all trade to us, to see these two married?" Yamamoto asked.

"Everyone deserves a chance at happiness." Masami stated, in all seriousness now. "Byakuya may hate me for this, but so be it. He'll forgive me, eventually."

Yamamoto sighed and motioned for Renji and Rukia to approach. "I shall marry you two now with Masami standing in as your witness." The old man turned toward Masami. "Byakuya will know of this. . ."

Masami shrugged and smiled as she watched Renji and Rukia hold hands, both a blush with happiness that they had not felt some two hours earlier.

* * *

><p>Masami walked around the Seireitei as long as she could before her aching feet told her she could go no more. She sat down on a small stone bench, somewhere near the Fourth Division, happy enough to spend the night outside if she needed too.<p>

However, there was no doubt that Byakuya would find her and force her to answer for her 'crimes' against him and his word.

"Masami-san?" Masami looked up and smiled as Captain Unohana joined her on the bench. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm hiding from Byakuya, of course." Masami said cheerfully. "What about you?"

"I was getting away from all the women coming in getting check-ups, pregnancy tests, and overall just the hormones." Retsu replied with a smile. "And please, call me Retsu."

"Of course, Retsu-san." Masami smiled. "So you tried to get away from all of that, and yet you are sitting with me? Am I the lesser of the evils, or the last open bench?"

"Neither. I consider you a friend. Our small visits when you come to the Fourth Squad for your checkups have always been a small blessing. You are always even tempered, a good sport for whatever tests we must do, and most of all, kind to my subordinates."

Masami smiled and reached over, patting Retsu's hand. "I was always taught to lead by example. Maybe you should do a giant class to show the girls how they should act when it comes to their visits."

"Tempting." As the two giggled and set about talking about small things, Masami hadn't realized Byakuya had approached the pair.

"Masami, home, now." Those three clipped words made a small shiver of fear crawl up her spine, but she stood slowly, not bothering to hide the small wince as her feet screamed at her for doing so. She turned to Retsu and smiled.

"Thank you for visiting with me Retsu-san. You wanted to see me tomorrow for that visit, yes?" She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice. She feared that one day, Byakuya might turn to a fiend like her father . . .And she had certainly done something to warrant getting hit. . .

"Yes, I'll get some of my more. . .troublesome patients there as well." Retsu replied with a smile, but her eyes were locked on Byakuya. A threat between Captains, and even Masami picked up on it.

Byakuya placed a hand on the small of her back, and pushed her toward there home. When she gave a small stumble, her simply scooped her up into his arms and flash stepped them home.

* * *

><p>Byakuya had felt her fear the moment he had made himself known to her. And though he had wanted her fear when he began to seek her out, now it sickened him. She was scared enough to get Retsu to help back her up. A smart move, but desperate as well. How could either one of them think he would ever hurt her?<p>

When they got home, he flash stepped them into their room, where he set her on the bed, plumping up pillows behind her so she could recline easily and be in comfort. Next, he removed her shoes, and started massaging her feet, which were swollen.

"You went against my wishes." He stated, never taking his eyes from her feet as he rubbed them.

"It had to be done, Byakuya." Her voice was small, a thread of a sound. Almost as if not wanting to alert a monster to your presence.

He lifted his eyes to her, his anger deep and burning within them, he knew. "You betrayed my wishes. You know why I said no."

"Sometimes, Byakuya, you have to be given a chance to show someone how wrong they were. I did that for them. And I'd do it again, and again." Her voice was gaining some confidence. "And I swear, if you do anything to break them up, you will regret it!"

Byakuya dropped her feet and crawled up the bed, menacing, as he placed a hand on either side of her. "When I heard, I was so furious. I wanted to drag you back and punish you. No one has even made me this furious." He hissed. She shrank back from him, pressing herself tighter to the pillows. "Now. . ."

He couldn't help himself. Watching her cringe away from him in fear sicken him, but elated him as well. Her defiance though. . .

He pressed his lips to her own in a deep and demanding kiss. Within a minute, she attentively returned it.

"No one has even defied me like that." He gasped, breaking away from the kiss to trail wet ones down her neck. He began to untie her obi from her kimono to get at the rest of her body. He opened the kimono fully, revealing her swollen breasts and stomach to his viewing pleasure.

"My Masami, so beautiful." He growled before dropping his head down to her breasts.

* * *

><p>Masami threaded her fingers through his hair, carefully removing the decorations as he attended her aching breasts. She gasped in pleasure when he took a swollen bud into her mouth, sucking gently, while he kneaded the other.<p>

He had never been like this. . .so demanding of her. . .Yet he was still gentle with her, despite the ferocity she felt thrumming through his body. She had caused this. . .and she was enjoying it!

"Masami. . ." He groaned, raising back up to taste her lips while he ripped away his own clothing.

His hair fell about them like a thick curtain, and though she could barely make out his features, she knew his eyes were boring into hers. . .So she held them, unyielding. She wouldn't cower away from him now. . .She couldn't. Her gut told her so. If she did, it would break something in him. . .

His hand snaked over her rounded stomach to sink into the nest of curls at the apex of her thighs, finding her wet and ready for him.

"I want. . ." He panted, breaking the kiss.

"I'm ready, please." She whimpered raising her hips to him.

When he sank into her, it was fast, furious, but oh-so pleasurable.

She cried out his name late into the night, as he continued to punish her body with his own. . .

"I'll have to make you angry more often." She murmured into his ear as he held her close, both exhausted from the activities.

Byakuya let out a hoarse chuckle, pressing a kiss to her brow.

* * *

><p>"You had me worried." Retsu admitted when Masami walked into the patient room where a few other girls were.<p>

"I'm fine. Perfectly okay. . ." Masami said, knowing she probably had some sort of stupid dreamy smile on her face.

Retsu got the hint, and hid her laugh by coughing, covering her mouth with a sleeve and turning away from everyone. "Ladies, this is Masami Tachibana-Kuchiki, wife to Captain Byakuya Kuchiki." Retsu introduced when she had recovered. "She is one of my best patients, and I thought you should learn proper patient etiquette from her."

"You brought us here for what?" Rangiku Matsumoto said, raising an eyebrow. "Because we hate shots?"

"More like your attitude toward my squad. Some of you are less than gracious to those of us who treat you. It may be our job, and often thankless. However, that doesn't give you the right to walk over us." Retsu continued.

"Did you get us mixed up with an appointment with Squad Eleven?" Rangiku asked now.

As the girls all chuckled, Retsu said, "No, there's no teaching some dogs."

* * *

><p>Byakuya was surprised when Masami walked into his study, a happy smile on her face, and perched on the edge of his desk.<p>

"I take it the little appointment you had went well?" He asked.

"After the meeting, I went on a walk with Retsu, and she ran into a guy. . .literally." Masami laughed. "They seemed to be hitting it off though. The guy looked at her like she was some kind of goddess, while Retsu apologized over and over to him. Doesn't seem to talk much, but. . ." She shrugged and smiled.

"Let's hope this is the guy for her then. She has barely over three months to find someone as it is." Byakuya murmured, standing and walking around the desk to her. He placed a kiss on the side of neck, for once okay with openly showing her affection. "Would you like to go look at baby things today?"

Her smile out shined the sun in that moment. "Are you sure you don't have stuff to do here, or in the Sixth Squad Barracks?"

"I'm quite sure." He replied, helping her off the desk carefully. "We'll even eat supper out."

"So people can watch me consume enough food to feed an army?" Masami asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, so people can watch you eat for you and our child." He replied with a small smile. "You aren't the only woman in the Seireitei who is pregnant at the moment, my Masami."

She flushed under being called his and pushed closer to him, wrapping her arms around him as best she could in a hug.

He held her back, burying his face into her hair. _"I'll keep you forever. I won't let you abandon me like Hisana did. You'll never get away from me, my Masami."_

She placed a feather like kiss on his own throat, purring in happiness at the contact she was receiving.

"I want a house full of children Byakuya. More than the required two." She whispered.

"You shall have them." Was his simple reply.

* * *

><p>"It's so busy. I've never seen it this busy." Masami murmured to Byakuya as they walked down the street. She lifted her parasol slightly to look at the sky. "And it's way past even lunch time."<p>

"The Soul Society has opened its doors to anyone. With so many pouring in with the chance of marrying a Captain or Lieutenant, more money needed to be brought in as well. Vendors from all over are here. As well as hopeful brides and grooms to be." Byakuya said, stopping at a table to look at toys a man was selling. He picked up a stuffed rabbit and handed it to her. "Of course, many of the poor are here too, hoping to get some extra money." He placed money in the vendors hand and continued to walk on.

Masami grinned down at the bunny then followed her husband. "You best keep me away from any needy children. I tend to either bring them into the house to earn a way, and to be taught."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Byakuya asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"If you're okay with it, I suppose not. Oh look! It's that man Retsu bumped in to earlier today. . .and he's creeping me out." Masami murmured, stepping closer to Byakuya. She shivered, clutching the stuffed rabbit tighter to her. "I feel like I'm looking into my own grave suddenly."

Byakuya reached for the Zanpakuto but the man just simply vanished, leaving the Captain and his wife wary.

"Do you want to go home?" Byakuya asked.

"No, I want to continue shopping for our baby. . .I'll be okay, I'm just a little shaken. Something about the man just. . .for a moment it felt evil." Masami whispered, her eyes coming to meet his. "What was that I felt?"

"A stained soul." Both turned to find Retsu approaching them, smiling sadly. "A soul that has done terrible, horrible things. He was here to kill you, as he was hired to do. However, he's had a change of heart. He will not do it. Maybe because you're pregnant, or maybe because he can see that you do not deserve it. Either way, he is seeking out those who hired them. He will kill them. And do it without remorse."

"Do you know this man, Captain Unohana?" Byakuya asked, pulling Masami to his side, an arm around her shoulders.

"I know nothing more than was allowed to me today. That man is looking for an end to the life he has led. He seeks a new life, free of the violence he has known for so long. I plan on courting him, giving that new life to him. The healer in me can't stand to see him hurt so." Retsu replied, "Have no fear Captain Kuchiki. He will never come after your wife again."

"I'm glad you're so sure, Captain Unohana, but just the same, he should stay away from us. I will kill him."

Retsu nodded her head and turned away from them, walking back the way she came.

"Be careful you don't make an enemy of a man who just gave me a free pass to live." Masami told Byakuya. "He can be a very powerful ally in the future."

Byakuya opened his mouth to say something but stopped, his eyes narrowing in a glare.

Masami turned to see what he was looking at and found a tall, muscular man with long braided black hair walking down the road, also browsing through the stalls. Despite his obvious power and ferocity, Masami could see the stress in his eyes, and his cheeks looked a little gaunt. In short, the man wasn't sleeping and eating enough.

"Who is that?" She asked, touching Byakuya's sleeve to bring his attention to her.

"Captain of Squad Five, Takeshi Maki. He's a fiend." Byakuya hissed out. "He was chosen to be the husband of Squad Five Lieutenant Momo Hinamori."

"Chosen? Did she not get to seek out a husband?"

Byakuya closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. "His squad seems to really like him, which we are all grateful for, considering the last Captain. However, we've heard things about him and Lieutenant Hinamori. She lives in absolute fear of him. I don't know what to make of it. You hear things but. . ." He trailed off with a shake of his head. "Put on a smile, he comes this way."

Takeshi Maki was an impressive man, that was for sure. When he greeted them, his voice was deep, almost making Masami feel like she should have vibrated with the low baritone.

"Captain Maki, this is my wife, Masami." Byakuya introduced, a little coldly.

"An honor, Lady Kuchiki. I was actually hoping your wife might help me. There is two sets of necklaces and earrings at that stall there, and I was hoping a woman might help me make a better choice." Takeshi said with a smile, pointing at a stall behind him.

"I would love to help." Masami beamed. Despite Byakuya's warnings, there was something immensely likeable about the man.

Captain Maki lead her to a table where he pointed out two beautiful necklaces he thought about buying his wife.

"What kind of girl is she?" Masami asked the Captain.

"She's. . .beautiful. Quiet, soft spoken, gentle. . .pure." Captain Maki whispered. And while his words where beautiful and spoke of a pure devotion, the look on his face spoke of pain and misery.

". . .This one." Masami whispered at last, pointing at the simpler of the two necklaces with emeralds.

Captain Maki bowed his hand in thanks before taking his purchase and leaving.

"He's a disturbing man." Byakuya muttered when he was out of ear shot.

"No, he's a sad man who just happens to be disturbed with something dealing with the woman in his life. He obviously loves her." Masami corrected.

With a gentle tug on her arm, Byakuya led her back to do more shopping.

* * *

><p>Masami cried out in pain as another contraction hit her. Her water had broken during the night as she got up to use the restroom.<p>

Byakuya had been at her side with one call, but since then, he was pretty much useless to her. He flitted around helplessly as a one woman spoke encouraging words to her (that she should shove up her ass, as far as she was concerned), while another mopped her brow.

"I can't do it!" Masami cried, "It hurts!"

"You can and you will. You wanted a house full of children, remember?" Byakuya said, shoving the woman mopping her brow out of the way. "And if you think you are leaving me, you are wrong."

Masami snarled at Byakuya. "This is your fault! You are never ever getting your cock anywhere near me again!"

He had the nerve to smile at her, brushing hair from her face. "If you say so, love."

* * *

><p>"Kimiko." Masami cooed at the small girl that laid in her arms. Byakuya was knelt beside the bed, watching his small daughter nurse from her mother for the first time.<p>

"It's a beautiful name." He murmured, reaching up and touching the soft black hair that fluffed up from his daughters head. "My little empress child. My beautiful daughter."

A scream cut through the happiness though, and had Byakuya on his feet in seconds, his zanpakuto drawn.

A servant opened the door, whispering to Byakuya swiftly.

"I'll be back quickly Masami. Stay here." Byakuya ordered her.

Masami raised an eyebrow in amusement and watching her husband leave the room swiftly. Seconds later, her mother entered, her face pale, but brightening when she saw her granddaughter nestled in her daughter's arms.

"Mother!" Masami said happily, "Meet your granddaughter, Kimiko."

Kimiko choose the moment to release Masami's nipple, letting out a small cry.

"My, what a pretty little cry she has!" Etsuko laughed. "She'll be a perfect little lady. Tea ceremonies, the best of dresses, flawless make up and skin!"

"No." Masami said, the smile leaving her lips. "My daughter might be that, if she wants too, but Byakuya and I have already discussed giving her martial training, and even letting her go to the Academy when she's old enough, if she wants too. My daughter won't be helpless like her mother. Father won't hurt her. No one will."

Etsuko glanced toward the door and swallowed thickly. "You don't have to worry about your father. Someone left his severed head in a box. The scream. . .a servant found it just as I arrived. I don't think it was done to be malicious. . .As anyone would know that you bore your father no love."

Byakuya entered the room and the look on his face confirmed all Etsuko had just said. "He's gone from us forever."

Masami looked down at her small daughter and smiled. "The future is more bright then, now, isn't it?"

* * *

><p><strong>100 years later. . .<strong>

"Be careful Hiroki!" Masami called to her son. The boy was barely eight years old and trying to defeat his oldest sister, Kimiko in a mock sword fight.

Byakuya knelt beside her, watching their nine children run around, practicing their sword skills or playing.

"Did you know that there was a bet as to if I would have more than two children. Once we had our third, the bet changed to, 'How many will Byakuya have?'." He said as he watched Hiroki get knocked down by a rather gentle blow from Kimiko.

The young boy began to tear up and cry.

"You handle it. . .since all I do is coddle him." Masami smirked at her husband.

Byakuya smirked back, stood, and walked over to his son.

As father and son talked, Masami took the chance to glance at her family, then over her shoulder at the large portrait that Izuru Kira's wife, Koemi had painted of her family. While the portrait showed them to be the Noble family everyone expected them to be, nothing was further from the true.

Years ago, Masami gave up on being a proper lady all the time in favor of being a ruthless business woman, and to always ensure her family's prosperity and safety.

Byakuya, while still cold and aloof in public, he couldn't be further from such behind closed door. He had even gone as far as to move most of the Byakuya Elders into a house far away from them. He wanted his children to grow up how they wished, and not how others wished them to be.

The Soul Society was prospering under the marriages, children being born. . .Soon, even Kimiko would be marrying off. She smirked at the thought of her daughter's suitor, Michio.

Neither mother or daughter had informed Byakuya of the young man suddenly in Kimiko's life, and they really didn't plan on doing so until a later date. . .Until Masami could make sure Byakuya wouldn't do something stupid. . .like he almost did to Rukia and Renji.

Speaking of the boy Michio. . .

"My mother wanted me to bring these to you and your daughters. She said they helped her learn hand to hand combat, and is meant to be learned by women." Michio said as he handed the books off to her.

"Tell your mother thank you, Michio." Masami smiled up at the boy. He was build like a mountain, and could lift a building with no effort. . .Then again, giving who his father was. . . "I'm afraid Byakuya is home for the day, so you don't really have time to spend with Kimiko today. . .However, you could always challenge her to a friendly match." Masami whispered.

Michio smiled and glanced to Kimiko who was watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Maybe another time. I just needed to see her face and get out of the house. You know how mom and dad get."

Masami nodded softly and reached up to squeeze the boys massive hand. "You are always welcome here."

"Like Hell." Byakuya muttered, walking up.

Michio stiffened but held Byakuya's gaze, going as far as to smirk in the Captain's face.

"Dad told me to tell the pretty boy Captain hello." Michio teased as he turned to leave. "Enjoy those books Masami!"

"Thank you Michio!" Masami called back.

"The boy has no respect, like his father." Byakuya spat.

"I like him." Masami grinned, her eyes sparking with mischief.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Okay, this is the end of Byakuya's and Masami's story. You will see glimpses of them in other chapters, and probably see a good bit of them in Renji and Rukia's story.<p>

I must say though, Byakuya is a pain in the butt to work with! He is the reason I haven't really posted anything! I finally just sat down, began typing and said, "Meh, it'll have to work."

So, next will either be Mayuri and his girl, Takeshi and Momo, or possible even Komamura and his girl. Each of these couples like to hound me. I honestly should have worked on some of them while Byakuya was being a pain in my ass.

Anywho, hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	4. Momo Part 1

Author's Note: OMG! It's an update on Repopulating? -fans self- Yet again, using my sisters computer. Read some reviews and re-read what I had posted and was like: To hell with it. I can't remember what couple I was working on anyways, so I'll just start with Takeshi and Momo. Maybe I'll finish their story before my sister goes home to Cali. -shrug- Maybe I'll have enough extra money to order a new charger and really get back to work. Le gasp!

So, enjoy this chapter. . .It. . turned out a little differently than I expected. Especially when it came to the love making scene. -shrug- But these two have their own love story going on. . .and are stubborn as hell, so I am not going to fight them.

ENJOY! PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVES THOSE THINGS. . .THEY MAKE ME UPDATE AND STUFF WHEN I SEE THEM. . . GETS ME MOTIVATED!

Also, because my computer is out, the one I am using, does not have a spell-check. So, please forgive any misspelled words (- probably that one) and grammar mistakes. I always try and watch for that stuff, but I am human. . .

TAKESHI AND MOMO

PART 1

Takeshi stared at the photo in his hands then glanced up at the Captain Commander Yamamoto and raised an eyebrow. The girl in the photo was so beautiful, in his eyes, if not a little young looking. Innocent, that was the right word.

"What does this have to do with me?" He asked, trying to hand the photo back.

"Keep it." Yamamoto said, not even reaching for it. "I've heard a great deal about you, Takeshi Maki. You are a beast on the battle field, and apparently, in the bedroom. You have a dominate personality, and many people say that despite your stature, you are great with people and children. I need and want you for two things; To lead Squad Five, as they are without a Captain, and have been for sometime. The second task, is to marry that young woman in the photo."

"I can understand wanting me for the first task." Takeshi grunted. "Why the second?" His thumb absently ran over the photo as he glanced down at it. "Isn't she a little young anyways? I'd crush her, she's so small."

Yamamoto chuckled and then glanced down at the photo. "Momo Hinamori is the Lieutenant of Squad Five. The previous Squad Captain, which I'm sure everyone has heard of, had a bit of a hold on her. Even to this day, she believes he is innocent. He has almost succeeded in killing her several times, but she still believes him to be good. We need someone who can. . .teach her to believe what is the real truth."

Takeshi's red eyes snapped to the Captain Commander with a look of anger. "All the women I have slept with have given their consent to what I do with them. I have never over stepped my bounds with a lover, and I sure as hell won't force submission on someone."

Yamamoto held up his hand. "I am well aware of what you do with your women." He said, his eyes opening. "However, this is important. Lieutenant Hinamori is wasting away slowly. Eventually, this all consuming guilt, and miss placed love will kill her. This decision did not come to us easy. However, with the way that Aizen Sousuke treated her, we feel that this would be the best course of action. Your 'cruelty' toward her has a positive outcome. To make her love you. We also plan on doing a little, experiment."

"Experiment." Takeshi snapped, running a hand through his loose black hair. He hadn't had time to braid the long black locks the fell to his thighs, and frankly, it annoyed him. "I don't like being under scrutiny from anyone. If this is what you want, move on."

"No, we are going to put a chip in Lieutenant Hinamori's brain. It will react whenever she thinks of Aizen. It will send a signal to one we would like to put in yours. However, you can look into her mind all you want with just a thought. It would help us keep up with her progress, etcetera. You will write down these things in a journal, along with your own feelings. At the end of the week, you will turn the journal in to the Captain of Squad Four, Retsu Unohana. She will be there for you, help you plan courses of action, be a personal medical aide if things get to. . .out of hand, which we expect might have to happen from time to time. Please, consider this Takeshi Maki. We, despite how it sounds, are looking out for Lieutenant Hinamori's best interests."

Takeshi ran his hand though his hair again and then looked back down at the photo. The girl looked happy, well taken care of. Which meant. . ."Do you have a current picture of the girl?"

Yamamoto reached into his captain's haori and pulled out another photo and handed it over. Takeshi glanced at the photo, then to the first one, then back. "She's paler, her skin more gaunt, but has suggestion of eating. . .probably being forced though. Her eyes have dark circles stating she doesn't sleep much, and the eyes themselves are haunted, and lifeless. She haunches her shoulders, suggesting that she is in a submissive and withdrawn stance. These, are all signs to me of a abused submissive." He handed the new photo back. "Yet you want me to abuse her into the 'right' state of mind?"

Yamamoto shrugged. "Can you think of a better option? She is good friend with Captain Hitsugaya of Squad Ten, but she even holds him at arms length. She is still active with a lot of the Shinigami women, but she keeps everyman away. She believes that he is truly innocent, that he will come back to her, and everything will be all right. She blames his fall on a man who is now dead, a man that Aizen, himself, killed."

Takeshi once again glanced down at the photo. "That's all that's required of me?"

"And you must sleep with her until she is pregnant. . .rather she wants it or not." Yamamoto added.

Takeshi gripped the table in front of him so hard, the wood split. "Then we will be making some negotiations. If I can't get her to go with me willingly after the first two months of our marriage, then we'll do things your way. I will begin her training immediately after the wedding though. She will be required to share a room with me at all times, to ensure she doesn't try and physically harm herself." He began. "I will also attempt to court her for no less than a month before the marriage. She needs to know me, and understand me, and not fear me completely, otherwise, I am just a boogeyman she will have to fear. If you don't agree with this, find some other man to be your monster."

He held Yamamoto's eyes without fear, and without blinking. He may not have been as strong as the Captain Commander, but he'd be damned if he'd be forced to submit to the old man's wants. He would be sure that things went his way, or the high way.

"Very well, Takeshi Maki. Only because its you though. No other man would have an option simply because. . .you are the one we wanted, and the best suited for this purpose. I will see you in a week at the Seireitei. The guards at the gate will be expecting you. I will be putting your through your tests, and we'll see just how good a Captain and husband you will make." Yamamoto said as he stood.

Takeshi stood up with him and offered a small bow. "A week then."

* * *

><p>Takeshi wiped the sweat off his brow as he put his Zanpakuto back in his sheath. The arena, which had been modified to block out all spiritual signatures. . .but even with that, he was certain someone probably noticed the building that suddenly was missing a wall.<p>

"We asked you to hold back." One of his judges said.

"I did." Takeshi answered. "You're alive and the other three walls are standing. If you wanted me to do a light show, you should have said so."

Yamamoto coughed to get their attention, as much as cover up the chuckle that had almost escaped. "It's safe to say that you have achieved your Bankai, and can move on to the next part of your test. . .and it will be your final because we have more pressing things to do." His voice broke no argument. "It is said that your are extremely fast, even for your mass size. Therefore, Captain of Squad Two, Soi Fon, is very fast. I want you to touch her ten times, leaving a mark somehow, but not harming her."

Takeshi popped his neck and nodded. "Consider it done." Then he was gone.

The task, however, wasn't all that easy. Captain Soi Fon was a cautious woman, and spent a lot of time training, and stalking some other woman, who made it clear to him that she knew he was there. Soi Fon, if she noticed, didn't show it.

He managed to make the tenth mark only two hours before Yamamoto was to call all the Captain's together, for the second meeting. He was given his uniform, captain haori, and giving him his congratulations. "I will be announcing your marriage to Lieutenant Hinamori today. You will get to meet her tomorrow and see her for the first time."

"I've already been keeping an eye on her." Takeshi grunted, sliding his zanpakuto into place.

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow but nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the new Captain's words.

* * *

><p>LIEUTENANT'S MEETING<p>

"What?" She whispered, "That's not fair! I should have the right to choose who I marry!"

Takeshi heard Momo's words, and walked up, calmly saying: "He didn't ask your opinion. Think of it as an order, Momo-san."

The girl looked scared out of her right mind as she looked upon him. Her breath came in quick, shallow pants, speaking of her fear while her eyes were wide in her pale face.

"Meet the new Captain of Squad Five, Takeshi Maki." Yamamoto introduced.

Takeshi made his way to Momo, and set down beside her. She was so small compared to him, that even in their seated positions, she only came up to his chest, barely.

When the meeting was over, he stood, and offered Momo his hand to help her up. She glanced at it only once before standing on her own, and making her way to leave. Takeshi just strode beside her though, making sure to keep his steps small to keep pace with her.

"It goes without saying that you'll be marrying me, Momo-san." Takeshi began once they were alone and walking the streets. "I have told Captain Yamamoto though, that I would court you for a month before we married."

Momo stiffened up but said nothing. Takeshi kept an eye on her for a moment before he said, "After we are married, you'll have an additional two months to get used to me. It will be the end of the two months before we are absolutely required to. . .consummate our marriage."

Momo stopped and Takeshi stopped with her, glancing down at the small young woman. "You say this like you're doing me a favor? Does no one care that I am hear-broken, that the man I love was brainwashed into nearly killing me more than once? That he is paying for crimes that should have rested solely on the shoulders of the Former Captain of Squad Three, Gin?" She snarled. "I will not love you within three months or even three hundred years."

Takeshi clinched his teeth so hard, he was afraid they'd break. His original assessment was way off. She wasn't misused, well, she was. . .She was brainwashed. No wonder they were ready to take extreme measures. If within a month, she wasn't any better, he'd go back on his own word and begin the night of their marriage. Before that though. . ."Very well, Momo-san. As things stand though, we will still be married. So, lets get to know one another. Let me treat you to lunch, where ever you wish to go."

* * *

><p>Takeshi carried the unconscious Momo to the Squad Twelve labs and to the waiting Yamamoto, and Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi.<p>

"That drug I slipped into her tea worked like a charm." Takeshi praised the mad scientist. "She didn't even noticed it was spiked, and fell asleep without ever realizing it either."

"Of course. Like I'd leave it for anyone to know that I was drugging them." Kurotsuchi added with a 'tsk'.

"Well, lets get this done." Yamamoto said, motioning toward the operating tables laid out. "We will implant the chip inside of Lieutenant Hinamori first. After that, we will implant yours. From there, after you have woken up, Mayuri will hook Lieutenant Hinamori to a machine that will allow him to control her dreams. If he succeeded, your chip will alert you that her mind is on him. It will be up to you to discover if you con infiltrate her brain at other points though. We want her to wake up in the barracks of Squad Five, and you can tell her whatever tale you wish."

Takeshi nodded and carried Momo inside.

He watched as Mayuri shaved the hair from her head, stating he had a serum that would make it grow back without her ever know it was gone (thankfully).

"It will grow back to the exact length?" Takeshi made sure to ask. If they ended up cutting his hair off, he'd be pissed if it wasn't near the length it was now.

"Yes." Kurotsuchi stated, picking up a scalpel. "You needn't worry though. We will implant your chip near the back. We'll just shave off a small strip along the back. I can rub the serum back in if you want, but I doubt anyone will ever realize you are short a few hairs."

"I think I'll take the serum. The best Captains will know, because they will have studied me. I don't think we want those kind of questions coming up. After all, I assume that only us in this room, and Captain Unohana know of this little experiment right? Not even Momo will know."

Takeshi glanced away as Captain Kurotsuchi began cutting away the skin from Momo's skull to do what he needed for the chip.

"How did your first little chat with Lieutenant Hinamori go?" Yamamoto asked, drawing Takeshi's attention to him.

"Not. . .good. If things don't improve any within this next month, even I may have to rescind on my two months after marriage deal. She is completely brainwashed when it comes to the Former Captain Aizen, and places all blame on the dead Former Captain, Gin. She has clearly stated that I will have no place in her life, despite this forced and arranged marriage. Momo will most likely have to go through extreme measures of discipline before she'll ever be anything like she was, again. That being said, she will no doubt be. . .hurt a lot for a while. Part of her discipline is that she will not, and cannot have her wounds just medically healed. Be forced to watch them heal on their own time gives her more time to think about what she did wrong. Captain Unohana should be informed of this decision." Takeshi stated softly. "No doubt, I will be very much hated here in the Seireitei, for what I must do. I have faith though, that it will work out in the end."

"Who knows." Yamamoto stated, turning to watch Captain Kurotsuchi work, "Maybe if you get her with child, it will help. Sometimes, a child can change the outlook of the entire world to a person, despite their situations or past."

Takeshi grunted. "Or she could end up hating the child because it is mine and not Aizen's." He ran a hand over his face tiredly and risked a glance at the girl. Surprisingly, for having her head opened up, there was little blood, and Mayuri worked quickly and quietly. "What I am about to do to this girl. . .will be considered abuse and rape in the eyes of others."

"We will handle it." Yamamoto assured him. "Captain Unohana can lie better than anyone I know, and also leave false documents. The real documents of what's going on between the two of you will never be seen by any other person but she and I. If needed, for your benefit, we can burn them afterwards. Captain Unohana has an excellent memory."

It was nearly two hours later before Momo lay on the gurney again, simply looking like she was sleeping. Captain Kurotsuchi had closed her up, leaving no scars, and then added the serum, re-growing her hair out. Nemu had entered the lab then, fixing Momo's hair to the exact way she wore it. No one would be none the wiser to what happened.

Takeshi removed his Captain jacket and top, leaving him nude from the waist up at Captain Kurotsuchi's insistence. From there, he unbraided his hair, and laid face down on the operating table.

He felt the sting of a needle as Kurotsuchi pushed it in at the back of his head, where the spine met the skull. Soon enough, he felt nothing, and Kurotsuchi continued with his small procedure. He was done within thirty minutes, and his hair back to its normal look.

Takeshi rubbed the back of his skull, as feeling returned to it.

"Let's test out to see if these chips work then." Yamamoto said, motioning toward Momo.

"I'll eat my right arm if they don't." Kurotsuchi grumbled.

* * *

><p>Takeshi laid Momo down on her bed and grimaced. She was still dreaming about Aizen, and the chip in his head would send out a soft pulse every few seconds letting him know. The only way to get it to stop, was to wake her up. . .then hope she thought of him no more. It didn't help that whatever she thought was also playing through his head. . .<p>

He pulled out the vile Captain Kurotsuchi gave him, and pulled the topper off, waving it under the sleeping girls nose.

He placed it back into his haori just as Momo groggily woke up.

"What happened? How did I get here?" She mumbled, looking around the room, but still not at him.

"You just passed out at lunch." Takeshi murmured, bring her attention to him. "Captain Unohana said that the stress must have gotten to you, and you just simply fainted. I was worried for you."

"Why? You caused the stress." Momo snapped. _'Aizen wouldn't cause this._' Came her after thought.

Takeshi clenched his fist but smiled at her none the less. "It's not the best situation, I know. We can make it work, however. We must show a united front for the Squad. Moral is down, because of Aizen's. . .betrayal." He hesitated on saying the word, but knew he had to anyways. Momo would have to face the truth, one day. "If they see us working together, then we can bring this Squad back to its former glory, quite easily."

Momo bared her teeth at him. "Aizen was forced to betray us! It's all Gin's fault! He caused it! It's all his fault and no one wants to admit it! I know the truth though! I knew my Captain!"

Takeshi raised an eyebrow at her, and silenced her with a simple raising of his spiritual pressure. "I've been warned all about you Momo. Your unwavering faith in your formal Captain is commendable, but misplaced. So I am going to tell you the truth, and I will say it often, and you will listen. When you dispute the truth, you will be punished. Understand. I am your Captain, and I do not tell lies." He didn't wait for Momo to answer, because he already knew what she'd say. "Your former Captain, Aizen Sousuke, used you, tricked you, and betrayed you. You, and everyone else in the Seireitei was nothing but a pawn in a game he was playing. He cost us several lives, changed the history of the world forever. His punishment is a joke, quite honestly. The man should be dead. It doesn't matter how many thousands of years he is down there. He will still be crazy, he still won't love you, and he will still hunger power."

Tears ran down Momo's cheeks as she glared at him. "You're wrong. He loves me!"

Takeshi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "One more outburst like that young lady, and I will take disciplinary action." He told her, his red eyes locking onto hers. "Because of your actions, and your words, the offer of waiting two months after our marriage to have sex, has been taken back. Our wedding night will be as it is supposed to be."

He watched the color drain out of her face. "No one but Aizen will touch me." She stated stubbornly.

Takeshi, with little regret in that moment, back handed her, knocking her back down onto her mattress. "I told you what I would do Momo. You deserved that, you understand?"

When Momo sat up, he was distressed to find blood on her lips. With a shaking hand, and eyes full of tears, she wiped it away.

"The sooner you understand, and acknowledge the truth Momo, the better your life will be." Takeshi told her, as he stood. "You are relieved of your duties for he rest of the day. It's nearly bedtime anyways. If you would like to eat, do it now. You are confined to your rooms from nine tonight, to nine in the morning, the day after tomorrow. We will continue our discussion then. We'll see how well you have thought on my words."

'I know the truth, in my heart. And its not what you say, bastard.' Was Momo's thoughts.

"I also suggest you remove all thoughts of Aizen from your mind. If I even suspect you thinking his name. . .you will be punished. As time goes on, and you continue to think upon that man, or even speak in his defense, your punishments will grow worse." Takeshi told her, not turning to look at her. "I will stop whatever I am doing, no matter how important, no matter where I am, or where you are, and I will punish you."

* * *

><p>Takeshi made his way to Captain Unohana in Squad Four, nearly ready to call quits on the whole thing already. Momo was going to take a lot of work, and he knew it. Already, in what was suppose to be their 'courting' time, he had to punish Momo, and told her the punishment's would continue.<p>

"Captain Maki, welcome."

Takeshi glanced up, surprised to find he had already made his was to the Squad Four barracks, and that Captain Unohana had greeted him.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in my own little world." Takeshi apologized. "How are you today Captain Unohana."

"I am well, and please, call me Retsu, we will be spending a lot of time together, it seems." Unohana smiled at him. "How did the first day with Hinamori-san go?"

"Call me Takeshi, and not good." Takeshi responded, taking a seat on the porch and steeping his fingers together. "I've already thrown my good intention plans out the window, because they won't work in this situation. I was forced to hit her, and tell her there would be more from now on if she didn't wake up and see the truth for herself."

"Oh dear." Unohana sighed, her pleasant smile slipping. "I was hoping your charm would also be enough to start break the shell. Seems like not though."

Takeshi nodded and glanced at her over his shoulder, to where she sat, watching him back. "They put the chip in today." At the mention of the device, it went off, informing him that Momo was thinking of Aizen. He gritted his teeth and rubbed at the back of his head, as the pulsing continued. Her thoughts ran through his head as she herself thought them, and he was getting pissed fast.

"She is thinking of him?" Unohana asked.

"Yes." Takeshi growled through gritted teeth. "Comparing us. My 'lying' to her, then slapping her for 'telling the truth' are the main points of it. Apparently her precious Aizen would never do such a thing to her. Her Aizen is perfect in every way. Her Aizen wasn't a monster. . .

"I ought to have Mayuri extract everyone's damn memories of Aizen, the things he did, then have a button to were I can push it and it will play through that stubborn little brain of hers. Maybe with enough of that, she'll quit, or go crazy enough to stop thinking him so perfect." Takeshi growled out a moment later.

"You could end up seriously damaging her mentally with such a thing." Unohana told him softly.

"I am aware of that. Forgive me, I'm speaking out of anger. I am not use to being a villain by any means, despite what I do." Takeshi admitted.

"Well, you must make good on your word." Unohana reminded him. "If she thinks she can get away with it, she will. So, you must go and punish her."

Takeshi rose with a nod and looked back toward the Squad Five barracks. "I little ass tanning might do some good. A little humiliation on top of punishment."

With that, he was gone.

* * *

><p>Takeshi slid open the screen door to Momo's room with relish, enjoying the look of panic on her face. Stepping in, he slid it closed behind him and removed his Captain's jacket, laying it over a chair beside a desk.<p>

"You have been thinking of Aizen." He told her softly.

"You have no way of knowing that!" Momo snapped.

Takeshi grinned at her. "The fact that you don't give a straight answer is enough proof, Momo. I told you that I would punish you. Here I am to do as promised."

Momo leapt away as he reached for her, but he easily caught her arm and spun her around. He knelt on the ground, pulling her over his legs and then ripped out the seat of her pants. He chuckled at the pair of pale pink cotton underwear with hearts on it. He too, ripped those off.

"Stop!" Momo screamed, panicking. "What are you doing?"

Takeshi answered by bringing his hand down swiftly on her bottom, leaving a red hand print behind. His lieutenant cried out in pain and surprise, tears immediately flowing from her eyes. Again, he brought his hand down. He did this until her bottom was bright red, and he had completed twenty swats.

When he was done, he pulled a blanket off her bed, and wrapped her in it, knowing her pants were ruined and would simply slide off it she stood.

"Shh." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her brow and rocking her gently. "I'm all done now Momo. You can quite crying."

In return, Momo sobbed harder and tried to get away from him, but Takeshi locked his arms around her.

"Listen to me Momo." He said softly, her body freezing immediately in fear of more punishment. "It doesn't have to be like this. You know why you were punished. You know what you did, what you thought. I only did this, because of those reasons. I'm going to give you this moment, to think on what I said to you earlier, and the punishment that you just received. Remember Momo, I don't lie. What I say, is truth. So if you think wrong, and I will know if you do, then I will add five more swats to what I just did. Every wrong thought, adds five. Think, Momo."

In the end, he spanked her until she was literally hyperventilating from sobbing so much and trying to bring in great gasps of air.

He left her, her bottom red, and showing signs of heavy bruising. "No one will heal that for you Momo. They know that you did wrong, and that you deserved that. If you think they will pity you, then you are mistaken."

He left her room and barely made it into his own quarters and restroom before he vomited.

He would help her, or damn sure die trying.

* * *

><p>ONE MONTH LATER<p>

Takeshi twirled the small wedding band around his pinky finger tip easily. Momo had such small hands, shopping for a ring for her had been nearly comical. He was big enough that they had to specially make his ring.

"She hasn't spoken to anyone about what you've been doing to her." Unohana told him, as he stared at the door that Momo would enter through within the next fifteen minutes. "She just withdraws into herself. When anyone asks about an injury, she simply states that it was an accident in training. She goes on to say that she is letting it heal naturally, so she'll never do it again. She wants to become stronger, and beat you to become Captain."

Takeshi grunted and gave a small chuckle. "She's learning not to talk back, but its not stopping her from thinking her thoughts though. He's like a lifeline to her. She dreams of him now more than ever. I feel like I'm going to have to start waking her up and punishing her for that now."

"You might have too." Yamamoto agreed, joining them. "For her benefit."

Takeshi shrugged in his solid black kimono and sighed. "This marriage will be difficult. Not in the long run. . .this day. She is going to fight me today like no other."

"Which is why only Captain Unohana and I are in attendance. If she starts to think of Aizen, feel free to turn and punish her as you see fit. Even if she doesn't say yes to her vows, she will be married to you anyways. This is just a . . .formality." Yamamoto stated.

"There will be blood on this floor before the wedding is done with." Takeshi murmured, looking at the pale wooden floors.

The three talked until the door opened, and Momo was led through. Her companion left then, leaving the four of them alone.

Momo had left her hair down and worn a black kimono, signally she was not happy with this day in the slightest. . .not that Takeshi could blame her. He also noticed that her eyes were red rimmed from crying, and she had circles under her eyes. Instantly, his heart broke.

He approached her, reaching into his kimono and pulling out the little box that contained a gift for her. He knew that she didn't get anything for him, but he didn't care. He wanted to do this right. And he had gotten her a bride gift.

He held the box out to her as he reached her, starring down into her watery brown eyes. "For you, Momo."

With shaking hands, she accepted the box, and opened it to find a set of hair pins with jeweled peach blossoms on the end of each. She swallowed hard and looked at up him, unsure of what to do.

"May I put them in your hair?" Takeshi asked, still , keeping her gaze.

Momo slowly nodded her head, obviously more terrified of what he would do if she said no. . .or at least, that was the thoughts that passed through her head. Takeshi had been listening in more and more lately, keeping up with her mental health as well as physical.

Takeshi took the first hair pin, and taking her bangs, and giving them a gently twist with his fingers, pinned them back. He did the same to the other side.

"Oh, what a lovely gift." Unohana said, with a smile when Takeshi stepped away from the trembling girl.

'This is the way I can prove he's hurting me!'

Momo's thoughts flashed through his mind. _'He can't just drag me away in the middle of the ceremony, and he swears he'll always keep his word, so he'll punish me in front of these people. If he doesn't, that makes him a liar! If he lies about this, then he lied about. . .Aizen.'_

Takeshi stiffened and rubbed the back of his neck, signally the other two Captains that Momo was thinking of Aizen. He looked into both of their eyes and mouthed, 'She's planning to show you.'

"Let's begin this ceremony." Yamamoto said, motioning for the couple to stand in front of him. "Why don't you take a knee, Takeshi. Maybe it will make your little mouse of a bride stop trembling if you are closer to her height, hhm?"

Takeshi did as Yamamoto bid, but also knew it was because he could grab Momo in a heart beat and pull her over his knee and punish her. If she thought him spanking her in private was humiliating, wait until he did it in front of two of her peers.

"We come together today, to join-" Yamamoto began.

'This should be Aizen next to me. Not this bastard. Aizen would have courted me for a year or more before even thinking of marriage. Our wedding night would be beautiful, because we loved each other. Tonight will be a nightmare and-'

Takeshi grabbed Momo and threw her over his knee, spanking her hard ten times in quick succession, while she cried out.

When he released her, she stumbled away, pointing at him and red faced. "See what he does to me! How he treats me! I didn't even do anything and he punishes me! I demand this union be terminated. I can't stand him!" Momo cried out.

"What I see," Yamamoto began. "Is a whining little girl who needs to grow up and stop living in her fantasy world. Takeshi has never hit you other than you deserving it, and you know this. He has been kind, patient, and very understanding. Yet you throw it in his face repeatedly by clinging to an image of a man that never truly existed. What he does with you, is caused by your hand. You might as well imagine yourself punishing you. Takeshi has done nothing wrong."

Momo gaped at the Captain Commander then swung her gaze to Captain Unohana.

"I agree, Hinamori-san. Takeshi reports to me nearly every day, talking of the things you have done, and what he has done in return to punish you. Do you think we didn't know what was going on? Why do you think no one in Squad Four will heal you, unless your Captain brings you in himself?" Unohana told her softly. "I have worked with you long and hard Hinamori-san, trying to fix something that was never truly there. All Aizen pretended to be, was an illusion. You, refuse to let go of that illusion. Takeshi stands before you real, and he has never hidden what he is, or what he intends to do. You say he is some kind of monster, often, to him. Yet, if he pretended to care for you, then tried to kill you, would you love him?"

Momo gaped between them all, and then a hopelessness entered her eyes that made Takeshi's chest clinch more painfully than anything he had ever experienced. All his scars, battles, emotional pain, was nothing compared to watching Momo in that moment.

Takeshi reached out, and took her hands, easily pulling her back to his side. Instead of making her stand though, he pulled her down onto his lap and pressed a kiss to her brow, as he always did when he had finished punishing her.

"Let's make this simple, Captain Yamamoto." Takeshi murmured, feeling Momo's tears began to scald his neck where her head rested. "We are married now. Let me take her home."

Yamamoto nodded his head in agreement and watched the massive captain stand, with his new wife in his arms. With a blink of an eye, they were gone.

* * *

><p>Momo began to shake violently when Takeshi got her back to the Fifth Squad barracks, his room, and began removing her clothes from her.<p>

"Shh." He murmured, gently. "Relax. This has to be done, Momo. You know this. Relax, forgot everything else, and let me make love to you. This doesn't have to be forced, or like rape. It can just feel good, just for tonight." He looked into her wide eyes. "No pain tonight. Just you, a woman, and me, a man. Let me show you the pleasures of the body."

"I know the. . .pleasures, already." Momo bit out, then cringed immediately, expecting a slap.

"Then you should miss it, yes?" Takeshi murmured to her, removing his own clothing. When he was bare, he laid down beside her in his bed, not touching, but very close. "Just tonight, Momo. Tomorrow, you can hate me again, and we'll go back to fighting. You spouting off words that make me angry, or you thinking of. . .him. I'll punish you, you'll tell me how much you hate me. Then, I'll bring you back here from now on, and we can sleep in bed beside each other, angry. You can kick me repeatedly in your sleep as revenge. I'll even allow it."

He was pleased when a small smile touched her face when he told her she could kick him. He smiled in return and brought his hand up to remove the clips from her hair.

Takeshi laid them on the bedside table before turning back to her, still smiling.

She was watching him, cautiously, but with also some curiosity.

He didn't want to scare her, so he slowly brought his large hand up, and cupped her face, brushing his thumb against her cheek. After a few moments, she sighed, and even nuzzled into it slightly.

He slowly, ever so slowly, trailed that hand down her body, stopping at her collar bone, and glancing up to make sure she was till okay. Then, he brought it down to her breasts. Gently, he kneaded her right breast, while he slowly brought his face closer to hers, and touched her lips in a soft but gentle kiss. He continued this kiss while he explored her breast with one hand, the other he brought to rest below the pillow that her head rested on, so he was nearly cradling her to him.

She slowly returned his kiss, and he felt like yelling in happiness to the heavens. He hoped, that he could show her with his body, what she didn't believe that came out of his mouth. He loved her. Truly, completely, and with total devotion. If she would give herself up to him completely, she would never have to fear him again. He would never hurt her again, purposely.

He trailed kisses down her throat, and even stopped to suckle on her neck, making sure to leave a mark. He wanted her to look in the mirror in the morning, and see the evidence of what they had done.

When he closed his mouth around her nipple, he savored her soft gasp, and her hands tangling into his hair, which he had pulled into a loose pony tail at the base of his neck for the day. He drank in every sigh, moan, and shaky breath she took in, knowing that she made those noises for him alone.

When he came to her woman hood though, and he parted her lips to lick, he found himself surpassing heaven. She tasted so sweet, so pure, and for this night, if only this night, she was his.

He licked and nibbled his was around her womanhood until she orgasmed. Even then, he didn't stop, just added a finger. On the first thrust of the digit though, Momo cried out in pain, and he stopped everything in shock.

"You're a virgin." He murmured, looking up at her.

"It's not possible, Aizen, he. . .we. . .I know we. . .Oh Gods!" Momo covered her face in shame as tears flowed down over her cheeks, still flushed from desire. "It was all in my head!"

Takeshi quickly crawled up her body and pulled her hands from her face. "Look at me Momo." Her eyes met his. "Listen to what I have to say, and not with anger. Just, listen, okay? With this one act, knowing this, you now know that there must be other untruths. You believed yourself deflowered by him, but he. . .he didn't want you, obviously, because you are still pure. Now, with that in mind, does it make you happier, knowing, you are still pure. That you are here, on this day, your wedding day, arranged or not, with me? Still pure, still untouched by a man. Aizen was a fool, and hopefully, you are realizing this. I am not, however. Even with the way we argue, and me punishing you, I know so much about you. You love to read, and I love it when you read aloud. Sometimes, I sit outside your bedroom as you read to yourself, just to hear your voice. You are always on time, despite whatever pain you are in, and you never have a single hair out of place, because you take pride on being a Lieutenant. You love hanging out with your girlfriends, because they make you smile, and they demand nothing of you but yourself, and your time. Your favorite food is peaches, and you hate plums, despite your Zanpakuto's name meaning, 'flying plum tree'."

He watched more tears slip down her face.

"Just us tonight. No past, okay?" He murmured now. "May I please you? May I show you real pleasure?"

Her hands came to rest on top of his as she nodded, then pressed his hands downwards, past her breasts, and left them to rest on her hips.

Takeshi gave her a soft and gentle kiss, before trailing his lips back down to her womanhood, and resuming his privilege in pleasuring her.

* * *

><p>Momo sat up in the wedding bed, her arms about her legs as she watched Takeshi sleep. He had shown her pleasure, and real remorse, when he took her maiden head, causing her pain for those brief moments. If she looked down, she could see the dried evidence of their love making. His dried seed on her thighs, and the blood from her innocent, had ran out of her when he pulled out, only to pull her against him and embrace her.<p>

He had held her while her body still trembled from pleasure, murmuring soft words of devotion and love, that now she questioned if he had meant all along.

She admitted that she did think of. . .Aizen, and that he only punished her when she thought of him or spoke of him aloud. In the times in-between, when she didn't think of him, Takeshi was always sweet, gentle, and never forceful. At first, she thought it was because they were in public. However, he quickly showed the same manners when they were alone.

She buried her face in her arms then sighed. She was positive that Aizen had made love to her. It didn't matter now but she had felt it, the penetration of his cock entering her body, and yet, she was untouched for Takeshi. She knew it though, she knew. . .

She stopped and snapped her head up, remembering all the times after she and Aizen made love. How sore she had been, though she was too embarrassed to ever go see anyone about getting it checked out. She never remembered orgasming with Aizen, but they had sex. She was positive so. . .

Takeshi sat up, gazing into her face.

In a moment of panic, she realized what she had been thinking, and prepared herself for the worst. . .

"Momo." He murmured, drawing her closer. "Are you certain. If you are absolutely certain, then its possible that he. . ."

Momo blinked upon also realizing that there were times when he had felt bigger, or different, in between the sex. One day he felt long and thick, the next time, he was long, but not as thick. Then he was shorter, than thicker than all other times. . .

"Oh Gods. . ." She murmured, feeling ill.

Takeshi pulled her up onto her knees then, with an apologetic glance at her, sucked a finger into his mouth, wetting it. Then he brought that hand to he backside and right at the ring of muscle.

She froze and stared at Takeshi before nodding, needing to know.

His finger slid in. . .too easily.

"I'm going to be sick." She murmured, and Takeshi had her in the bathroom without a second thought. As she vomited, he held her, caressing her back and keeping her hair out of her face.

"Shh, baby. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that happened to you." He told her, sincerely.

"It was never him." Momo said between gags. "It always looked like him, but it never was."

Takeshi inhaled sharply, ignoring the sting of the bile in the air, and clenched his teeth. How many men had used Momo at their Captain's word? Did they even know they were fucking Momo, or did they see someone else too? Tomorrow, he would find out, but he was going to damn well make sure Momo wasn't around when he did.

"I feel so. . ." She choked off. "So stupid, and dirty, and used." Sobs wracked her body and Takeshi rocked her back and forth, staying near the toilet in case she got sick again. "Everyone knows I'm some kind of idiot."

"What you felt, Momo, you thought was real. He knew that, and played on that. No one blames you. When you think you love someone, you don't want to see the truth." Takeshi murmured into her hair.

"What happens when you see the truth about me?" Momo questioned now. "Will you leave me too?"

"An army of Menos Grande's couldn't drag me from you, Momo." Takeshi told her, pulling away and smiling at her. "Let's go back to bed. I have something that will help you sleep, and keep the dreams away. In the morning, I want you to go talk to Captain Unohana and tell her what you realized last night. Not so they know you know the truth, but because I know talking with a woman will help you more than me. Me, I just want to kill someone knowing what I know. Captain Unohana will be able to help you more than I ever could."

"I think you're wrong." Momo murmured as Takeshi took her into the bedroom. "But. . .for a while. . .could we not. . .have sex? I just. . .knowing now. . .I feel. . ."

Takeshi laid a hand on her head and brought out a vile that Mayuri had given him, though he never used it. "We'll talk tomorrow Momo, after you've talked to Captain Unohana. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

He watched Momo drink it, and fall asleep again. The same stuff he had used to knock her out the first time, only different. . .no dreams. Nothing would make her dream, not even Kurotsuchi's little dream machine.

He then walked outside and punched a tree hard enough to split his knuckles, and completely demolish it. All the while, tears leaked down his face. "My poor Momo. . ."


	5. Momo Part 2

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WARNING: THERE IS OMG SEX IN THIS CHAPTER! (by that I mean I went- OMG, did I just write that?)

TAKESHI AND MOMO

PART 2

Takeshi pulled Captain Unohana inside after he had laid Momo in the hospital bed the next morning. His Lieutenant had held on to his sleeve for a few moments before finally releasing him, and his heart had nearly broke.

That morning, when she found him sitting beside the bed, watching her, she had immediately looked him over and found his injured hand. She had been upset that he had hurt himself in such away. It had made him smile as he reached for her with his un-injured hand and cupped her face. He didn't kiss her, though he wanted too. Now knowing the truth of what had happened, he doubted she would have welcomed it.

"She seems un-injured, and in fact, more receptive of you. Why did you bring her here?" Retsu asked when they were out of Momo's earshot.

"Momo told me last night that she had sexual relationships with Aizen. I had convinced her, that for the night, we should put everything aside and just take pleasure in each others bodies. When I was. . .preparing her, we discovered she was a virgin. That's when she told me it was impossible, that she had Aizen had been intimate. I managed to calm her down, and we set to making love again." Takeshi murmured, then looked away, uncomfortable at that moment. "She was awake and thinking about it. She was certain she had sex with Aizen. Those thoughts woke me up. I didn't punish or even lash out at her. I talked with her, because it was so real to her. . . He had used his zanpakuto to make other men look like him, and they had all. . .taken her from. . .they. . ."

"I think I understand what you are saying." Retsu spoke softly. "She isn't taking it well, is she?"

"She now understands that Aizen is not the men she thought he was. She is being forced to confront all the things she has thus far denied. Worse though, she is left with the knowledge that he made her out to be a whore, in some faction. I held her while she vomited and cried last night." Takeshi murmured, turning his gaze to Momo.

As if sensing it, Momo looked back at him and held her hand out. Takeshi excused himself from Retsu and made his way to his little bride, taking her hand within his easily. "You okay?"

Momo gave a shrug of her shoulder and glanced around the room. "I feel weird being here, knowing that the only injury I am suffering from is a good crack in my hard head, and a broken heart. All together, its all mental. I've turned into a mental patient."

Takeshi smiled at her gently and squeezed her hand. "It's okay. What we learned last night, as horrible as it is, is a step to the positive." His smile slid from his face. "Momo, this changes nothing between us. I still want you, forever. Just. . .no punishment, unless you really want it."

"Why would I ask for that?" Momo asked, looking at him like he was crazy.

Takeshi glanced to Retsu, who immediately took her cue and left. Then, with another glance, he found a chair just feet behind him. He released her hand to grab it and drag it closer to the bed, then set down. Immediately though, he had her hand again.

"What I have done thus far, Momo, has been punishment. However, there are ways to feel pain, but perceive it as pleasure. It can be very enjoyable to both the. . .submissive, and dominate. A good dominate will always take care of their submissive, and never push them past their limits. There are rules, safe words, signs that can be used by both parties. It would be my greatest pleasure to introduce you to that world one day, if you'd let me."

Momo's eyes were wide as she stared at him. "People want to get hurt? That's just. . .sick."

Takeshi averted his eyes, his hand loosening in hers for only a moment. "It takes a certain. . .flavor to do it."

Momo bit her lip, realizing that she had hurt him with her words. _'Is that something he enjoys? Was that a normal part of his sex life before he got chained to me? Is he being denied his own pleasure by not being able to do that? Oh Gods, what if he didn't enjoy himself last night. . .'_

Takeshi was so used to slipping into her mind, he was shocked at her thoughts. He just squeezed her hand a little tighter. He wanted to just keep listening.

'_But. . .thinking of doing. . .it, is so terrifying right now. What if. . .what if I can never do it again?'_ At the end of that thought, Momo let out a little choked sob.

Takeshi pulled her off the bed and into his arms immediately, cradling her against his chest.

"We'll be okay, Momo. We'll be fine."

* * *

><p>"Let me get this straight, just because Lieutenant Hinamori has finally figured out what we've been telling her all along, you want me to give you permission to not be intimate with her until she is ready? Even though you had intimate relationships last night?" Captain Yamamoto said, peering up at Takeshi from under his thick brows. "You honestly expect me to say yes, when I have Captain Soi Fon always crawling down my throat about not even being into men, and that I should allow her to be excluded. Captain Kurotsuchi says I should excuse him because he can 'make his own children'. Lastly, Captain Zaraki claims there aren't any women strong enough to hold his interest, or even by able to with stand his brute force and nature!"<p>

Takeshi took a deep breath, and forced himself to count to ten before responding. "It is not that Momo realizes that she was wrong. She knows this, she accepts it, and is more worried about what others think of her. What is wrong is that she was led to believe she was having sexual relations with a man she thought loved her and her, him. Instead, it was men he made to look like himself by means of illusion, and had them lay with Momo. Had he not extended more power to make all those men's dick sizes the same, she may have never known! Once more, every man that took her did so anally. She thought she was a woman by all means, to find herself a virgin on her wedding night!"

"I think if we force the sexual relationship at this very moment, it could do more damage than good. Momo could regress. Not that she would regress into loving Aizen again, but that she will hide herself from Takeshi. She has made leaps and bounds overnight. You should have seen her reaching out to him today." Retsu interrupted before the Captain Commander could respond. "Forcing the issue of sex could end up resulting as 'rape' within her own mind."

"It wasn't rape when she thought she was sleeping with Aizen either. She willing went into that bed. It's unfortunate that she was handled in such a way. However, she shouldn't be taking it like she's the victim. I believe she's doing this to get out of her marital duty. The answer is no. You will continue to have sex every night until she is with child." Yamamoto ordered, slamming his cane down.

Takeshi snarled and took a step forward, ready to fight the old man, but Retsu put a calming hand on his arm. "I humbly ask you reconsider. You asked me to keep an eye on these two, and I am telling you, Captain Yamamoto, that this is not a good idea. She needs a gentle and guiding hand right now. A friend. She doesn't need what will result in another torture in her confused mind." She began softly. "With the stress that could come from that, the chances of her getting pregnant, or being able to carry a child, are very slim."

"You are dismissed." Yamamoto said softly, his hard gaze unchanging. "I expect news of Lieutenant Hinamori's pregnancy within three months, or we'll look into a replacement for you, Captain Takeshi. Obviously, you don't take your job serious."

Takeshi lunged forward again, this time managing to grab a hold on Yamamoto's jacket, and lifted the old man. "Listen closely, old man. Whatever bad happens from this, is solely at your feet. I will blame you, and if my wife leaves me, I will kill you for it. More importantly, its Lieutenant Maki, now." He released the Captain Commander and backed away, his eyes flat and cold.

Retsu put a hand on his arm, and led him from the room.

* * *

><p>"Captain Yamamoto seriously won't give us any reprieve?" Momo asked, her eyes wide. "B-b-but. . ."<p>

"I know, sweetling." Takeshi murmured, cupping her face in his massive hand, and smoothing his thumb over her cheekbone. "We'll just have to make this work though. It can be just like last night. Just us, no worries."

"It won't be that easy." Retsu sighed, entering the room with several charts in her hand. "While we were away, I had Lieutenant Maki write down everything she remembered. We also did this right after Aizen's betrayal. There is differences now. The differences being that all the things she suppressed, are coming to the front of her mind now. More details, even things she didn't remember from the first time."

"You feel like as time goes on, she's going to end up remembering everything, but only, the truth this time." Takeshi asked.

Retsu nodded. "Lieutenant Maki's memories of her rape are quickly becoming the most vivid."

Takeshi sighed and turned to look at his bride. Tears clung to her lashes, and she closed her eyes in shame when his reached hers. "I'm sorry. I've been nothing but trouble to you. I bet you regret coming to the Seireitei now."

Takeshi made sure she was looking at him again, and he gave her his best smile, teeth gleaming and eyes full of his love. "I regret nothing Momo. . .except maybe tearing up those cute little panties you had with the hearts. . ."

A blush stained his wives face, and Retsu turned her head and coughed to cover up her laughter.

"I swear to you Momo, we'll get through this. We will do what the old man asks of us. . .and do it anyways we possible can." Takeshi's smile faded to barely there as he told her this, but he made sure to hold her eyes. "I won't hurt you anymore Momo."

"Momo. . .I'll say what Captain Maki here cannot. Yamamoto isn't going to let you two get away with not fulfilling your. . .duties. If you begin to have some panic attack during sex, Takeshi will most likely have to hold you down and finish. . .no matter how much he hates the thought of doing that. He can't stop every time you scream or cry." Retsu murmured, her eyes unreadable, yet her voice spoke how upset she was. "I want you to keep a journal. Every morning when you wake up, right everything down that happened during sex. If you enjoyed it, there was something he did that you liked, if you began to panic, how he responded, and overall, how you feel at that moment. Not what you felt last night. Okay? I will read these, and me only."

Momo blinked back tears and nodded, her hands wadding up the sheets laid over her lap.

Takeshi cleared his throat and stood slowly. "Let's get you home, okay? Its near dark and. . .we must begin tonight. If we are lucky, it won't take long for you to become pregnant with our child. Then, we will have plenty of time to help you."

Momo allowed him to lift her up into his arms and cradle her against his chest, taking the blankets with him.

"I'll have these blankets returned to you tomorrow." Takeshi told Retsu as he turned to her.

"That is fine. Good luck Takeshi, good luck Lieutenant Maki." Retsu told the pair as they turned to leave, briefly touching Takeshi on his arm though.

* * *

><p>Momo kept her eyes on Takeshi's face as he walked them from the Squad Four barracks and back to the Fifth's. His face betrayed nothing, as often was like that when him when he was thinking. However, the only thing she could think of though, was Captain Unohana's casual touch to her husband. Had they always been like that? The two seemed to be able to communicate without words, only eyes. That was sort of intimate, wasn't it?<p>

Were they intimate? What if Takeshi and Retsu had been lovers and Captain Yamamoto had refused to let them marry? What if Takeshi had settled on her when she was presented? Was that the case?

Or. . .what if he had turned to Retsu for companionship when she was so harshly rebuking him at every turn?

She bit her lip in worry and decided to look away from him. Too many thoughts were running through her mind to allow her eyes to rest on him. He might look back and see everything she thought.

Did Captain Unohana give him the true release he needed? Was she his. . .submissive?

All too soon, the barracks came into view. The whole Squad was out front, apparently awaiting their return though, because they cheered upon seeing the two of them.

"We are glad to see you're okay Momo!"

"What happened Lieutenant?"

"Do we need to kicks someone's butt for you, Hinamori-san?"

The calls came again and again.

"Guys, she had a little spell last night. I simply took her in to see Captain Unohana to make sure everything was okay. She stayed there so long because she was only allowed to leave with me, and I ended up having to go to a meeting with Captain Yamamoto. We appreciate the concern, but Momo-chan is fine." Takeshi called to the group. "So off to bed with the lot of you so I can get her to bed as well!"

The group grumbled, called me sentiments, and then finally dispersed to go to bed. The Squad had fallen for their new captain, Captain Maki, within a week. He wasn't afraid of their fear, scorn, or pushing him through his paces. He treated them with respect, asked their opinions, and made time to talk to every member, no matter how high or low ranked they were. He seemed to have also have memorized everyone's file, because he had greeted many members with birthday wishes, or even inquired about spouses or children they might have had.

Takeshi walked them to his. . .no, their room. He didn't bother turning on any lights as he carefully set her on her feet and unbound her from the blankets she had wrapped about her. Then, he touched her collar bone, his fingers just laid there, scorching her skin, but he did nothing more.

He breathed in deeply before murmuring, "I would feel a lot better about all of this, sweetling, if you would undress yourself." She watched him swallow hard. "Take your time."

Momo's hand were shaking as she reached to untie the belt holding her hakama's up, but she couldn't do it. She fumbled, and tried, When he tried to reach for her, to help even a little, the panic attack began.

* * *

><p>Takeshi leaned his head against the toilet seat, the cool porcelain welcome against his heated flesh. He had emptied his stomach of everything he possibly could, and then more. He had always known that the kind of sex he was into, in some eyes, might be wrong. His partner had always been willing though.<p>

Having to strip Momo of her clothing, prepare her, and then. . .fuck her, because it wasn't love making. . .hadn't been easy at all. He had to restrain her, often pinning her against the bed using his own weight, while one of his large hands held her arms above her head in a strong grip.

She had cried, sobbed, and begged. . .but Retsu had been ordered to confirm that they had been intimate every morning. She would come into their room, check Momo, before she could even dress or bathe for the day.

Takeshi's stomach rolled again, but there was nothing left. He took in a shuddering breath and slowly let it out, trying to calm down.

He never wanted to do that again. He had still managed to make her wet, and accepting of him as he had taken her body, going slow enough to not hurt her, but fast enough to try and get the whole thing done with. Not that it mattered, as soon as he had released, she had rolled onto her side, clutching her stomach and curling into a small ball. She was in near shock, and whimpered and cringed whenever he touched her.

One look into her mind now showed her recovering memories. . .replaced with his face instead of a faceless one.

He slumped back, his head hitting the tile floor hard, and he didn't care. He would let her have the bed, he'd sleep in the floor. He didn't want to leave her alone to her own room, afraid she'd hurt herself. . .

"Add rape to your many sins, Takeshi Maki. It can go up there right with killing the first woman you loved." He muttered to himself, before rolling onto his side and crawling pitifully into the shower and making sure the water was near boiling hot. He had to wash away the filth he felt. . .

No matter how hard he scrubbed though, it didn't go away, but his blood made an appearance. Still, he didn't stop.

He only stopped when tears blurred his vision and he couldn't see anything anymore. A sob crawled up his throat and he shoved his fist against his mouth to hold it in, not wanting to wake up Momo. She was hurting enough without him adding guilt.

The guilt was his alone.

He wished he had fought harder. He wished he was strong enough to take her and run away. They'd catch him though, and then he'd lose her forever.

* * *

><p>FOUR WEEKS LATER<p>

Takeshi walked through the many vendor stalls, looking for the perfect gift for Momo. Their. . .sex hadn't gotten any better. By day, she was trying, so hard, to make his suffering easier. . .but he couldn't touch her without her starting to cry, sometimes, without even realizing it.

She flinched when he was too close, all the time. So, even when they were walking through training with the Squad. Now, the Squad was worried about Momo, and a few had even began to ask him questions. What did he say? Something like: Oh, she realized that Aizen was raping her, well, not her, but men that looked like him. She started to go into shock upon realizing that. Yamamoto refused to give us a break from our sex life until we could get her the help she needed. Now, she has panic attacks, and on order, I have to rape her?

Yeah, that would go over great.

A lot of them backed off though, because Takeshi's physical appearance was starting to show his stress. His muscles were as large as ever, because he did nothing but work out until he had to join Momo in the bedroom. His weight though, had dropped, making the muscles stand out in sharp contrast. His face was more harsh, making his normal 'evil looking' appearance seem even more real. He had taken to barely caring for himself, only bathing and brushing his hair to keep up his appearance. For a while, he hadn't shaved. It was only until Momo managed to voice that the scratchiness hurt, that he took to making sure he was clean shaven too.

He sighed as he finally settled on a stall with jewelry. When he could get her to talk to him, she had mentioned that she had wanted to pierce her ears, but never did. So, he wanted to buy her some earring. . .something else too. Maybe a necklace?

He found joint sets of necklaces and earrings and began to scan them. He nearly panicked when he found two sets he liked. . .but which one would Momo like?

He glanced at the stall vendor and found it was ran by a man. . .which would be of no help to him. He needed a woman to help.

He turned to glance around, his eyes immediately settling on the Captain's jacket just across the way. Byakuya Kuchiki. With him, a largely pregnant woman, who was simply beautiful. She didn't compare to his Momo though.

He approached them, feeling the dislike radiating off of Byakuya immediately. Their were rumors, about him, of course. With Momo's recent behavior, people had noticed. They weren't told though. They could only guess as to what was going on.

"Captain Maki, this is my wife, Masami." Byakuya introduced, his eyes like glaciers as they focused in on him.

"An honor, Lady Kuchiki. I was actually hoping your wife might help me. There is two sets of necklaces and earrings at that stall there, and I was hoping a woman might help me make a better choice." Takeshi said with a smile, pointing at a stall behind him.

"I would love to help." Masami beamed. Despite Byakuya's warnings, there was something immensely likeable about the man.

Takeshi led her to a table where he pointed out two beautiful necklaces he thought about buying his wife.

"What kind of girl is she?" Masami asked the Captain.

"She's. . .beautiful. Quiet, soft spoken, gentle. . .pure." Takeshi whispered. And while his words where beautiful and spoke of a pure devotion, the look on his face spoke of pain and misery.

". . .This one." Masami whispered at last, pointing at the simpler of the two necklaces with emeralds.

Takeshi bowed his hand in thanks before taking his purchase and leaving. He wanted to get back to Momo and give the gift to her. . .He wondered briefly if he should wait until after they had to. . .But he decided not to, thinking it would be too much like those horribly abusive husbands that buys gifts as ways of apologizing.

He flashed stepped his way back to her, finding her sitting at the table in his private room, drinking tea.

"Momo." He murmured, sitting on the opposite of her, and slumping, trying to draw in his massive size, to look smaller.

Her haunted eyes found him, and she swallowed. "I went to Captain Unohana today. I'm not pregnant. She's putting me on some drugs that should help me get pregnant faster. If all goes well, within a. . .a month, I could be pregnant."

"That's. . .that's wonderful, Momo. I'm sorry that it hasn't happened yet. Maybe I should look into something too? Couldn't hurt to know if it bettered our chances, right?" He suggested softly.

Momo shrugged, looking back into her tea cup. She was eating, because she knew if she starved herself, there would be no baby. The better she took care of herself, the better chances of pregnancy. She told him this one morning while she mechanically ate the breakfast he had brought to her.

It had driven a blow harder than any sword could do.

"I bought you something today." Takeshi murmured, sliding the box toward her. "It's our. . .we've been married a month."

Momo glanced up at him from under her lashes and slowly reached toward the box. She pulled it toward her and slowly opened the lid. The gasp that left her lips was sweet to him, and he savored it as she touched the jewelry with trembling hands.

"It's beautiful." She whispered, lifting the necklace out. With a few tries, she managed to clasp it on.

She glanced down at the earrings then back at him.

"If you ever decide you want to get them pierced, you'll have a pair to already wear once they heal up." He told her simply. "It looks beautiful on you."

She reached up and carefully took the necklace off, putting it back in the box. "Thank you. . .Takeshi. I'm sorry I didn't think to. . ."

"Just tell me happy anniversary. It will be enough. And maybe a smile. I would die for one of those right now." He told her honestly.

Momo's smile was small, weak, but she whispered, "Happy anniversary, Takeshi."

He smiled in return, then glanced away. "Momo. Tonight. . . I wish all of this was different."

"We all do, Takeshi. I wish I could. . .forgot what happened to me. Would that really fix us though? I am past my feelings for Aizen. I. . .don't hate him. There were times that he was just the man that I thought he was. I know now though, that it doesn't make up for the evil he has done. It was never Gin's fault. . .I just didn't want to ruin the perfect image in my head. What should have been the most. . .important moment in a young woman's life, was tainted by knowing that several men took a part of me. I don't know if they knew , or if they were under the illusions like I was." She murmured. "I wish I could forget that. . .but would it really help? I've spent the past month, terrified. Would all of that have to be erased. If all I could remember was the moment leading up until my wedding night, would we be okay?"

"Even if it could help. . .I wouldn't want it done. Not because I don't want you to have help or be whole. . .but because I think you can get over this. I know it will be better once you are not forced to. . .be with me. I think the baby, with the length of the birth, the nursing, and making sure he or she is well off before we try again. Its enough time. Captain Unohana would be there for you. . .I would be there in any way I can. And if you feel up to it before its time to have a second child. . .it will be on your terms." He murmured.

He rose form his seat and moved toward the door. "Take the rest of the day off, Momo. Just relax and try not to think about tonight."

She nodded and sipped her cool tea, grimacing and sliding the cup away from herself.

He left her like that, planning on going to work out.

* * *

><p>Takeshi stripped down until he was only wearing is hakama's, and pulled out his zanpakuto.<p>

He took a deep breath and let it out slow, connecting with his swords spirit. The demon looked back at him, the sorrow in his eyes just as real as his own.

_She's pulling away from her own Zanpakuto. Tobiume is alone, and worse, afraid of me. I cannot get to her sword's spirit anymore than your own wife. It's a lonely and painful existence. Tobiume runs at the sight of me._ His sword spirit whispered to him in his mind.

Takeshi focused on the massive black shape, larger than Captain Komamura, and when wanted, as terrifying as any real life demon when unleashed. Ai no Akuma had terrified him the first time he had wielded him.

That same blade had taken the life of the first woman he had ever loved. . .who tried to kill him for a bounty that had long since expired. She wasn't. . .smart enough to realize that.

When she came at him, ready to take his head, he hadn't moved. His sword though, had a mind of its own, and exited its sheath and sailed through the air, impaling the woman. He had achieved his shikai only days later, with her blood still staining the blade. It took him almost two hundred years to reach Bankai. All with a blade that he never quite remembered getting. It was his, he belonged to it. . .and they just accepted that.

_You had your one night of happiness. Grasp to that. Things will change. I know. . ._

"I am glad you are so certain of the future." Takeshi whispered, focusing on his breathing exercises, while his body didn't move at all. Still as death, giving nothing away that an enemy could use to predict his movements. "I think you just want a baby sword running around in a decade or two."

_We all want things we can't have._ His sword replied thoughtfully._ But I have always known such things. Like how I know that I will no always be your Ai no Akuma. _

Takeshi faltered and opened his eyes, the image of his sword's spirit fading away. "What do you mean?"

* * *

><p>When Takeshi finally made it into the bedroom, he found Momo asleep, looking so peaceful curled up under the blankets. He had no choice but to wake her, but he cursed everyone he could before he approached her. He went ahead and removed his clothing, sighing as he went ahead and began tugging on his flaccid cock, attempting to arouse it.<p>

It was getting harder to do with each passing day. Every time she turned her head away, making no sounds as he moved above her, he had to fight to keep himself hard, while trying to please her too.

He knew Momo's silent acceptance of it was partially because it was a repeated event, and partially because she had given up. There was nothing she, or he could do. Even with his pleasing her body though, it was dirty. They both knew it, and no one could argue against that or the way the felt when they came away from having sex.

He placed one knee on the bed, and he watched her eyes flutter open. Immediately upon focusing on him, he watched the wariness fill them, and she already turned her head away.

He swallowed, keeping on hand on his cock, stroking it to keep it hard, while his other hand moved the blankets down, relieved that she was wearing a short night dress, and no under garments. She had been doing this lately, as a way to cut down time.

"Did you take the fertility drugs?" He asked, trying his hardest to will her to look at him.

She nodded, still not looking at him, but clenching her fists tightly.

Takeshi brought his other hand down, lifting her night dress, and gently parted her folds with a finger. Getting her aroused. . .wasn't easy. However, her body seemed to realize that it was needed now. . .maybe it was just used to it now, but she was already getting wet.

He glanced up at her, a bitterness filling him as he watched the first tear fall from her eye, and onto the pillow that her head rested.

It would always be this way as long as they had to do this.

* * *

><p>Momo watched as Takeshi stumbled from the bed on shaky legs, immediately going into the bathroom as he always did, closing the door. She hated that he could take a bath immediately while she had to wait until Captain Unohana came in, confirmed that they had sex, and gave her a quick check for the possibility she had finally become pregnant.<p>

While she showered, Captain Unohana would read her journal that she was keeping about the love making. Often, and as of late, she simply would write: It's the same thing. When I turn the lights off, that is when he comes. He does his duty, then leaves me. I won't see him until the next morning when he brings me breakfast.

The first two weeks had been filled with accurate accounts, down to physical and mental reactions. She wrote about her orgasms that shamed her, and how Takeshi still took care of her, despite the fact it bothered him.

She rolled over onto her side, waiting for sleep to claim her as it always did. Except. . .what was that noise?

Momo set up, bringing the blankets with her to cover her nakedness.

She could hear the shower going, and normally fell asleep to the sound of it. She never listened closely to it, still upset that she had to lay in their. . .filth until the next day. Now though, she heard. . .retching?

She stumbled up from the bed, approaching the door, then pressing herself against it.

This time, she was sure. He was throwing up in there.

She backed away, a little hurt. . .and then angry. Why was he throwing up? He wasn't the one being violated! He wasn't the one, hurting so bad emotionally that he wondered why he was even alive! Why was he vomiting when she had held her food and disgust in?

She threw the door open, her anger finally going to be unleashed.

Takeshi spun, facing her, with a pale face and tears.

"How dare you!" Momo spat. "I have to lay beneath you as you have your way with me, ordered or not. I have to take that every day until I get pregnant, and I heard Captain Unohana state that if I don't get pregnant within this next month on the drugs, that they will be upping how many times we have sex a day. I feel dirty, and used. But I haven't once ran away, vomiting. Yet you, YOU! You are in here, throwing up, like you're the victim! I don't have a choice in any of this!"

All the while, she had stalked closer, until she was striking at him with her fists in feeble little blows.

Takeshi caught her arms, and stood, uneasily, dragging her with him toward the running shower.

"I have to make you clean." He whispered, his voice hoarse from throwing up. "Have to take that. . .have to clean my sin off of you."

Momo struggled to get out of his strong and nearly bruising grip, having no luck. When he pulled her into the shower, she yelped in pain as the burning water washed over her.

"Let me go, Takeshi! It's to hot! It's hurting me!" She cried, again, trying to get away.

Takeshi spun around, facing her, his face a mask of anguish as he knelt before her, making them closer in height, and blocking out the scorching water.

"I can't eat, I can't sleep." He whispered, reaching for some soap and lathering up in his hands. "I can't get that haunted look in your eyes out of my mind. I try so hard during the day to make you happy, to see the smallest smile, and feel like I can't do anything good enough. I want to make myself so worthy of you, and yet, everyday I only see that I am your own personal hell. . .which makes me my own as well."

His ran his hands over her, cleaning over body, and for once, his touch didn't scare her or make her skin crawl. She didn't cry.

She just watched her powerful captain, on his knees before her, crying.

It was in that moment, she was reminded again of how selfish she could be. She selfishly clung to. . .him, and now, she selfishly placed all the blame on her husband, leaving him alone to deal with something that shouldn't have been.

"I see this dirt on me, and I scrub my skin until I bleed. . .I can't get clean." He whispered, bring his hands to clean the evidence of the sex they had earlier.

"Captain Unohana has to-" Momo began, trying to stop him.

"Retsu will cover for us." He whispered, continue to clean between her legs. "I know she will. All you have to do is ask."

"Why don't you talk to her. . .since you're friendly enough to go by first names." Momo snapped.

Takeshi stopped his cleaning of her and looked at her as he sat back on legs completely, bringing their height completely even. . .nearly. Maybe an inch off. His head was lowered though, so he was looking up at her through his lashes spiked from the water. He was studying her intently, only his eyelids fluttering every few seconds to give away that he was still. . .aware?

"Are you jealous?" He asked at last.

Momo bit her lip and turned her head away, embarrassed that in this moment, when they were reaching a point like this. . .she had to bring jealousy into it. She had already laid all the blame at his feet and accused him of evil acts. . .now she had to go and be petty.

"Are you, Momo? Are you jealous of my friendship with Retsu?" He asked now, still studying her throw his eyelashes.

"Are you only friends?" Momo asked. Before he could answer, she pressed on. "You two seem to hold entire conversations in one glance. You often can do something the other hasn't even thought of doing yet. You are friendly enough to call each other by your first names, and she touches you. Does she give you the kind of sex you like? I can't satisfy you enough to. . .not that we are a true active couple but. . ."

Takeshi lifted his head, regarding her with empty eyes, and waiting until he knew she was done.

"When you have to speak your every sin and regret to someone, they quickly become your friend. Or, it seems that way to me. Retsu knows what I've done to you, and she knows what I am forced to do to you. I talk to her as much as I can, because I walk on a thread. . .I'm ready to snap, Momo. As for her touching me. . .I think she knows I need that touch. It's nothing sexual, its just a touch." Takeshi explained with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Could you change the water temperature. It's too hot." Momo whispered, turning her gaze from him again.

Takeshi turned away, coming to settle his weight on his knees again as he stretched to reach the taps, adjusting the temperature to a more comfortable level. He settled back down, waiting for Momo to make the next move.

Slowly, she moved toward him until her feet touched his knees. Still, there was over a feet between there upper bodies. . .She was fine with that though. Here, in the light, she could look. She could see. This really wasn't one of the faceless men from her nightmares. . .Sure, Takeshi's face had replaced their empty faces for a while. . .but her subconscious quickly took him out of the 'true bad guy' category. They were empty faces in her nightmares again.

This man though. . .On her wedding night, he had taken care of her. Despite his sheer size, of every bit of him, and not just his sexual parts, had terrified her. He didn't hurt her though. He had cradled her throughout the whole sexual encounter, filled up every part of her with. . .something. She had felt. . .okay in that moment. With one forgotten but dredged up memory though, she ruined it all. She should have let the thought just float on, but she grasped it and had to poke at it until it finally bit her. . .and him in turn.

She lifted her hand, touching his cheek, and finally cupping it, as he liked to do to her.

Takeshi nuzzled his cheek against her small hand, while his own hands twitched to hold her against him. He wouldn't move though, not until she told him too.

He watched her breathing, deep breathes, and they all exited shakily.

"I'm sorry." Momo whispered at last, blinking back her tears. She had cried enough. If she cried now though, she was more afraid he'd think she was going to break again. "I haven't been a very good wife."

"I wouldn't expect you to be, since I spent my first month beating you into submission, then this last month. . . You have nothing to apologize for, Momo. I thought I had broken your spirit as of recently. I felt like mine was breaking with it." Takeshi admitted, letting his knees split apart, and nearly sighing when she moved closer, now leaving only a few scant inches between them. "Know this though. I said it the first day we met, and I want to say it now. A little different though: As your Captain, and husband, I will never lie to you. I love you, sweetling. I want to make this work, however we can. Whatever chance you will give me."

Momo allowed herself to move a little closer still, until she was forced to put her other arm around his shoulders and her breasts pressed into him. Her hips, stomach, and womanhood were pressed against the hard ridge of muscle that was his stomach and felt. . .desire.

She took a shaky breath before she pressed her lips to his. "Kiss me please. . .hold me."

His arms locked around her immediately, and rocked them as they sipped from each others lips.

This was there first real kill as a couple. Yes, they had kissed on their wedding night, but it wasn't like this. Then, it was about relaxing, and getting used to each other. Now, it was about learning.

"Momo." He murmured, as she pulled away. He worried he had done something wrong, or maybe this was her revenge. He would deserve it.

"Sorry." She said with a little smile that had his heart fluttering. "But I. . .really want to wash your hair." The blush that stained her cheek was charming, beautiful, and she didn't look like the scared young woman had had known for so long. She looked like that girl who was in the picture that he kept on him whenever he was away from her. "It was. . .the first thing that I began to really like about you. I always wanted to run my fingers through it, but was too afraid too."

Takeshi reached behind him and grabbed the single bottle of shampoo that was his. Momo continued to shower in her room, liking that small bit of independence she could have in what used to be her room.

Momo took the bottle, and moved back, motioning him to follow her.

Takeshi walked forward on his knees until he was before her again. His wife walked around him, every bit a woman in that moment, and ran her hands through his hair, after setting the shampoo bottle down for a moment.

"When we are done here. . .Maybe you can show me the proper way to. . .make love?" She suggested, lifting the heavy, wet hair away from his back. "Leave this down."

* * *

><p>Takeshi carried Momo from the bathroom, with her still wrapped in a large towel, and he being completely dry, using his spiritual pressure to dry fast. His throat felt tight, and his head was spinning at the thought of making love, actually making love, to his wife. Not 'raping' her. Not her crying and sobbing until he was done.<p>

Just the two of them, learning each other again, and trying to fix something that was almost beyond repair.

He laid her gently on the bed, all while never straightening, because she refused to release his hair. He grinned down at her, as the rest of it slipped over his shoulder, laying against her naked skin as the towel slipped away from her.

She gave it a tug, and he moved down, resting his weight on the bed slowly. She must have thought he was taken to long, because she gave another tug, this one hard enough to leave a burn in his scalp. He gave a groaned, enjoying it.

The surprise was obvious on her face, before she got a little grin of her own, bringing an arm around his upper shoulders, pushing him toward her for a kiss.

As their lips did a dance almost a little more intimate than the act itself, she roughly ran her nails down his back.

Takeshi bucked his hips against her, giving her another groan of pleasure.

"You said you could teach me to enjoy pain. . .but you enjoy it yourself." Momo whispered, breaking the kiss.

"A good dominate would never do anything to their submissive that they wouldn't be willing to do on themselves. Well, unless it isn't any kind of danger to their submissive." Takeshi murmured, his eyes a little glazed. "I think, my sweetling, that you will be on top in this bout of love making. You want to be in charge, give me a little pain, and I am more than happy to give it to you."

He rolled until Momo was on top of him, straddling his stomach, and looking unsure of herself.

"Make love to me Momo. Tell me what you want me to do to you, and I will." He told her softly.

He watched her eyes flicker around quickly before she, with a heavy blush, whispered lowly, "Could you. . .use your mouth on me? Would you?"

Takeshi groaned, his hips lifting slightly on their own, before he forced himself to gaze at her again. His eyes burned her as he said harshly, "Come to me sweetling. Straddle my face."

She did, slowly, and gasped when he brought his hands to her hips, holding her still as he kissed her nether lips the way he kissed her normally.

She mewed, cried out, gasped, and had many orgasms while he held her still, not letting her leave him just yet.

Momo couldn't take it anymore and gasped, "I want to make love to you. Next time, next time you can show me how to please you but. . ."

Takeshi released her, his eyes glowing almost like rubies as he followed her movements as she moved down his body until she straddled his hips. . .and unable to comfortably straddle him due to his sheer size. She looked embarrassed, when she realized this wouldn't be easy.

"Kneel on me." He told her.

"I won't be able to take all of you in if we-" Momo began.

"I never go all the way in you anyways Momo. You are so very small." He told her. "I will be pleased, don't worry about that."

Momo bit her lip before doing as he ordered, coming up onto her knees while holding his thick manhood. She had never paid real attention to this part of him, and now she wondered how he had fit at all. Her fingers couldn't wrap around him, and he was thicker than her wrist. . . Not that it wasn't a difficult feat to be thicker than her slim wrist.

She sank down on him slowly, her eyes flickering to his face and enjoying the look of pure rapture that spread across his face as his eyes slid closed.

She took as much of him in as she could from that position, then began to lift her hips again. She did this again, and again, slowly picking up face. She planted her hands on his muscled chest and on all fours, was able to pick up the pace.

He didn't touch her, because he had wrapped his hands around the head board, to keep from taking control.

Momo knew that he must have never have given full control like this to someone before. She lifted slightly, holding her upper body weight on her arms so she could look into his eyes.

He held her gaze, his lips parted as he panted in pleasure, but they turned into a smile none the less.

"I love you." He whispered. At that moment, Momo's knee slipped, and she crashed down, his full length slamming into her.

Momo cried out in pain as their hips met completely, and Takeshi was immediately sitting up, holding her.

"Baby, are you okay? Shit, you must be hurting so bad." Takeshi whispered.

Momo was hurting, but she laughed. "I guess only you can ever have me like this. . .be this deep in me."

Takeshi tilted her face up, and leaned his down until his lips touched hers.

* * *

><p>"Pregnant." Retsu announced when she came into to check on Momo (later than usual because the couple didn't want to get up yet). "It is so new! It must have happened while you slept!"<p>

Takeshi gave a bark of laughter, and plucked Momo out of the bed and spun her around. "I love you!"

Retsu just grinned and backed out of the room. They knew where to find her, if they had questions. For now, she'd leave them to their happiness. . .and burn Momo's journal.

The Captain of Squad Four was happy things worked out for the couple. She had began to worry that neither of the pair would make it much longer, and they had becoming important in her life. She just knew Takeshi was a friend for life. She could be no less.

* * *

><p>SIX YEARS LATER<p>

Takeshi laid his sword on the ground as he knelt before it. Until just yesterday, his sword had been Ai No Akuma. . .Demon in Love. Now it wasn't something different, something powerful, and nearly evil. And it only listened to him and his wife. By that means, their children was safe too. The new sword, was a lot like his old. . .much in its own power and doing what it willed. . .

It's new name was Genso No Akuma No Koibito. . .Demon Lover of Illusions.

After years of happiness had been interrupted when Aizen somehow managed to control his sword from a distance. No one wanted to handle the problem, afraid for their lives.

Takeshi had marched into the prison, angry, because the main target of these horrific illusions was his small, pregnant with their third child, wife. She nearly miscarried when an illusion scared her bad enough, that she missed a step and fell. Only some miracle saved the baby. Retsu still had her in the Fourth Squad barracks though, so she could watch her.

Takeshi clinched his teeth at the memory.

When he had arrived down below, Aizen was no where near where the sword was kept. And upon entering the sword chamber, he could feel how miserable and alone the sword was ready to die.

What happened after that was a mystery to him. He had gripped the sword, pulling it from its sheath, and swung it hard, shattering it on its impact with the ground. He had pulled his own Zanpakuto, ready to use his demon spirit within it to melt down the metal until the sword was no more. . .when his blade began to glow. Pieces of Aizen's sword began to float then fuse with his own sword. . .

He hadn't told anyone what happened, except his wife, and Retsu.

At her urging, he took it to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's wife, the Captain of Squad Three, who determined that the sword seemed safe. She still gave caution though, asking him to communicate carefully with the new spirit within, who she said refused to show itself to her.

Takeshi looked up to find his spirit before him. The size was the same. . .but gone was the black shadows, replaced with a huge man, scarred, and yet. . .beautiful in some way?

_Master._ The voice rasped, and yet, echoed.

"Genso no Akuma no Koibito. That is the name I see within. Is it you?" Takeshi asked.

_Yessss….._ That voice rasped again, the echo still following.

"I am sorry, I am trying to learn this new. . .form. You, the spirit, the sword." Takeshi replied evenly.

_Never fear us Master. We are your greatest ally, and we extend our protection to all born of you, and your wife. We hold a deep connection to Tobiume, a love, and so we protect your wife too. While we are your greatest asset, we are your enemies greatest nightmare. When you learn how to control us, we will weed out the innocent, if they are even caught within our circles, and we will punish the enemies until they are no more. . . At your order, of course._

Takeshi ignored the way the sword kept saying 'we'. Instead, he opted to move it into it Shikai state. "Konagona ni hanarete." (Shatter apart)

Immediately his changed into a long chain that curled around his body, wrapped down around his arms and legs. It was tight, but his movement wasn't restricted. He gave a few experiment punches and kicks, finding his fighting ability was fine.

_When an enemy comes near us in this form, where ever the chain strikes their body, will release a small poison. They will never know what has happened. Once you've landed at least ten blows. . .maybe more on less depending on their strength, the poison will take control. Trapped within a body, a mind, they cannot escape. They are frozen solid, while their nightmares nip at their subconscious. They will see you, and what is not real. It is the best way to capture an enemy, or just make killing them a lot easier. If they are not killed within twenty minutes of the last punch or kick you gave, the effects begin to wear off. You will have to start over._

Takeshi nodded and clenched his fist. "Let's try something else."

He could feel the swords excitement, but the energy was building too.

"Bankai!" Takeshi yelled. "Sono Akuma no Sunea, Sorera! Genso no Akuma no Koibito!" (Snare them in their nightmares! Demon Lover of Illusions!)

The chains left his body and floated in the air. The chain grew until each length was as easily the size of his hand. The length of the chain itself didn't seem to change much, but he knew it would be as long as needed. At one end though, was a shield, on the other, was a sword.

He knew then, how dangerous his sword could be, if needed.

_We_ are_ offense, and defense. Yet, you shove the shield into the ground. Throw the sword, arcing it to surround an single, or multiple enemies. Once the sword meets the shield, it acts like a lock and key. The people within cannot escape the dome like trap the chain creates. From there, the nightmares drive them to attack each other, or kill themselves to escape. If someone within is trapped by accident, we will protect it. They will never see what happens around them, or be haunted by the evil the others see._

Takeshi shivered, and with a shake of his arms, his Zanpakuto was in its normal form, and he was sheathing it. He wouldn't be telling Yamamoto about this. . .ever.

He didn't want the old man to have plans, or any knowledge that he held the power to kill that bastard. He would protect his Sweetling and children in any way he had to.

END END END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: -hides- That is some of the most intense sex scenes I have ever written, and was nearly as red as a well cooked lobster too. Lol -scratches head- Their story is kind of sad, not spanning as much time as Byakuya's and Masami's. However, I think their story is told. . .And you can see them in other chapters when it comes to their later lives. On a personal note, I like Takeshi, very much. He's so imposing, standing at six foot eight and weighing in at nearly 275 pounds with all that muscle. He was also the first one to let me know that he had a zanpakuto, that it did have a name, and that it changed. I toyed with the idea of giving Aizen a story too. . .despite his capture and imprisonment. Takeshi has opened the door for that to be possible. . . We'll see if it happens.

_**Watch out, I'm not sure who is next. It's up between: Komamura, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, or Kenpachi.**_

_**REVIEW AND VOTE WHO YOU WANT TO BE NEXT! ALL THREE OF THEM TALK TO ME LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW!**_

_**Going to go to bed now. Guess if no one lets me know who they want, I'll start on who I want. -evil laughter-**_


	6. Kenpachi Zaraki Part 1

PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS. That being said, any author loves getting reviews. Know how you feel about characters, situations, or even voting toward the next chapters, is always great.

I'm trying to get as much done for this story as I can, simply because I have a few days to work on it.

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE REVIEWER WHO SIGNED SIMPLY AS 'WIND' FOR LEAVING THE FIRST REVIEW AFTER I POSTED MOMO AND TAKESHI'S STORY. THEY VOTED THAT KENPACHI BE THE NEXT, AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE IT!

So, thank you again Wind for leaving me the review. I am glad you are enjoying the story, and for you, I give you Kenpachi. -bows- I would also tell you, that I had plans for giving Ikkaku and Yumichika stories nearly as soon as the idea for this story came to mind. Like they would leave their captain alone to suffer!

WARNING!- This story is rated Mature for a reason. Sex, swearing, its all here. If you are uncomfortable reading such things, then I humbly request you move on (and not send me hate mail for ruining your minds with images you won't forget. . .-drools-).

KENPACHI ZARAKI Part 1

Kenpachi set on a grassy knoll, having sent Yachiru away for the time being. She had skipped off, a little upset, but nothing that she wouldn't get over.

He glanced down of the Seireitei, now realizing why so many people had begun to arrive in droves. How many people outside the Thirteen Court Squad Guards had known about these marriages before they did? Did the old man send out some kind of poster, begging for daughters and women to come, and flaunt themselves before them?

Kenpachi spat on the ground, remembering the couple of women who had dared to approach him as he had walked back toward the Squad Eleven barracks. They had offered themselves, cooed over his muscles, and one unfortunate girl had decided to touch him. Captain Unohana had let him know that her broken wrist would heal in time.

"Served the bitch right." Kenpachi muttered. "If she were stronger, she coulda tried to fight me off. I would have let 'er go then."

No, instead she had fought like a . . .woman. She had clawed at his face, nearly knocking off his eye patch. That wouldn't have been good for anyone. . .And was the real reason that he had broken her wrist. Well, her wrist broke when he threw her away from him, and she had landed on it wrong. . .as she crashed into one of the many stone benches that had been placed around so people could sit.

"This whole thing is a damn joke." He grunted, standing and sliding his zanpakuto into place. He began his walk back to the Seireitei when he decided to take a detour and visit the Zaraki district. He couldn't remember the last time he had been there. . .and while he was feeling sorry for himself, he might as well take a trip down memory lane.

It didn't take long to get there once he decided to pick up the pace.

Entering the district was. . .weird. He had so many memories of it, but none of how he got there. He had often wondered if he had been one of the many numerous murders, thieves, or rapists that holed up in the piece of shit district. With no memory though, he had no way of knowing. Though he would like to know his past, he felt that some of it was best left buried.

People watched him warily. Most of them here, wouldn't have been around when he was first here. No, people in the Zaraki District died much to soon and quickly to remember faces of the past.

Around every corner, women were trying to sell themselves for money to eat, or pay of debts. It's not like he cared for their business, and they never made it known why they did it. . .other than needing the money. Men set together, playing games of dice, trying to find a quick way to earn money. . .or lose it.

Vendors had small stalls set up, trying to sell foods or everyday items that people needed. The smart ones had body guards that scared any thieves away. The dumb ones never lasted long.

Kenpachi continued his observations as he walked down the street, turning the corner, and heading to where the fights were normally held. An old warehouse, and surprisingly still standing, housed a small arena where men could go, pay a fee, and fight. The winner took home fifty percent of whatever money came in. Kenpachi wasn't afraid to admit he had entered a few fights himself. . .after he had came into caring for Yachiru. On his own, he didn't care or need a lot of things. A little girl though. . .she needed good food, clean water, warm clothes. He was her. . .father, friend, and companion.

A small smirked tugged his lips as he opened the door, hearing cheers and roars, alerting him that a fight was either going on, or close to beginning. If the crowd was anything to go by, it would be at least worth a watch.

He stood at the back of the crowd, easily standing a head or more over even the tallest people, and stared at the two combatants in the ring. One was, surprisingly, female. She stood stiffly, arms crossed under her large (but not overly so) breasts. Her clothing consisted of a pair of skin tight, red pants of unknown material that tucked down into a pair of knee high, worn, and rugged black boots. Her chest was covered by a form fitting tank top of the same material, ending just above her belly button, allowing the men to gaze on that few inches of smooth, but muscled flesh. She was tall for a woman. . .taller than the man she was fighting too.

Kenpachi tilted his head and decided she was nearly six feet, if not six feet itself. She was thick. . .yet thin. She was a slender woman who had trained hard to fight, packed on muscles in a good way, and yet, was still feminine, as shown with her breasts and the slight curve of hip and her backside. Her hair was a deep brown, long, wavy, ending just at the small of her back. She had it in a tight pony tail, keeping it away from her face, while her eyes were a violet color.

Her opponent was an inch or so short than she was, bald, scared, and had a bit of weight. The only real remarkable thing about the man was his golden colored eyes. He held a large maul in his hands, and was busy undressing her with his eyes and making lewd comments that the men, well, the whole crowd, agreed with.

"Damn woman don't have no place here." The man in front of Kenpachi said. "They should just throw her out before she gets the shit beat of her. Then again, if she is hurt badly, she couldn't put up a fight, could she?"

The man's friend laughed and grabbed himself. "Bet with all the training she does, she doesn't have time to get a good fuck. Bet she is tight. I'd love to sink into that."

Kenpachi twitched his nose, and grabbed the two men's head, before smashing them together. The pair slumped to the floor, unconscious, and no one had even seen what happened. Kenpachi stepped over them, moving forward a little more to study the woman more.

This. . .was what he looked for in a woman. If she fought with any real skill, he'd consider taking her on as a wife. He had to marry, so why not marry someone who was at least a little resistant to some pain.

"All right! All right! Quiet down so we can get this started! We all know the man on my left!" The announcer said, coming to the middle of the ring and standing between the pair. "This, however, is the lovely Takeda-san's first time in our ring, and she admits to only being in the Zaraki district for a week."

Kenpachi let his gaze slide over the crowd, and even he could feel the malicious thoughts that oozed out of every man. If the woman didn't win this fight, or was badly injured and won anyways, she'd have a hard time. She'd be no better off than those women on the streets, begging to be taken and paid for their services.

"So, what brought you to our little arena, Takeda-san?" The announcer asked.

"It's none of your business. Just start the fight." the woman, Takeda, snarled.

The announcer backed away, then glanced at her opponent, and finally, at the crowd. His eyes swept across them before he shrugged and yelled, "Begin!"

Her opponent immediately charged her, swinging his heavy maul above his head and brining it down, to deliver a direct blow to the top of hers. However, the maul simply stopped, mere inches from her. The man was obviously struggling, while Takeda just stared at him, emotionless.

"You bitch!" The man snarled, "What kind of trick is this!"

"Trick?" Takeda asked, uncrossing her arms and reaching forward slowly. "No trick. This is the difference in being a brute with muscles, and being a fighter with spiritual energy. My spiritual pressure has stopped your maul from getting close to me. And my spiritual energy. . ." She trailed off and flicked her finger at the center of his chest, sending him flying. She obviously had excellent control, and was even better at hiding how strong she really was.

Kenpachi felt his tongue slither of his lips at the thought of getting her in a fight. Her opponent was obviously not getting up, and the announcer, in obvious disappointment, declared her the victor, and handed over her share of the winnings.

"This bag is too light. You wouldn't happen to be trying to scam me, because I'm a woman?" Takeda said, throwing the small pouch of coins up. "This amount barely equals to a fourth of your proceeds from today."

The announcer growled and spat, "You should have given us a better fight, woman."

Without any warning, she swung her fist back, clocking the announcer in the face, busted his nose, lips, and several other places on his face. As the man began to fall back, Takeda grabbed him, reaching into his robes and pulled out a couple bags of money, each heavy with coin.

"Since this is the lawless district, consider this me taking the law into my own hands. You fucked with me, so now I am fucking with your personal funds. This money, is mine." She snarled. She stalked over to the corner of the arena where a small bag set, obviously holding her belongings. She grabbed it up, stuffed the coin purses into it, and exited the arena, slamming the door behind her.

Kenpachi was quick to follow.

* * *

><p>Takeda was well aware that someone was following her, but she felt no real threat from whoever it was, even though her skin was crawling. Then again, her skin had been crawling ever since she had come to this dump. Wonder lust had gripped her though, and she had stayed in her old village for far to long. People began to ask questions, her history, even tried to court her. She didn't need that in her life.<p>

Life to her was simple, but grand. It was about fighting for the right reasons, exploring the world, tasting the fresh air in the morning, feeling the dew in the grass as you walked it, bare footed. It was the smell of oil as she took care of her zanpakuto, it was children laughing as they played games and didn't have to worry about being haunted by the evil of the world.

Therefore, she was always on the move. Sadly however, it seemed less and less people needed her help. More and more people were running to the safety of the Seireitei, abandoning the villages that were far out of reach of the grand city, if you could call it that.

The war had ravaged the land badly, and many people had died. She had stayed and protected her old village the entire time, pleased that it suffered the least amount of damage anywhere. That's how she had been given the name; Takeda. It meant- warrior rice village. She was there warrior of their little rice village, and they had choose to call her that when she refused to give up her real name.

Names were too personal. Names meant attachment. She, in their honor, told them that she would carry the name Takeda all her life, as her last name. She didn't have one, and they wanted to honor her how they could. She wouldn't throw it back in their faces, no matter how unwanted or unneeded it was.

She made a stop at a food vendor, buying enough to put a pleased smile on the man's face. She took the wrapped food and slid all the bag handles over the sword sheath before carefully resting it over her shoulder, using it hold the weight, and not squish the precious packages.

From there, she stopped at a candy vendor, and bought their largest selections of candy, pushing those packages into her bag, which was ready to burst at that point.

She continued on down the way and made one last stop at a vendor that sold precious, clean, cool water. He stored it in jugs, keeping the dirt that circled the air from it.

"I need four of these." Takeda told him, chucking her coins onto the old worn table. She turned and looked up at the old building behind her, spotting Kenpachi easily. "If you're going to follow me, at least make yourself useful."

* * *

><p>Kenpachi was a little surprised when she turned and addressed him. He thought about spitting in her direction and leaving. . .However, he was curious as to what she was up to. She had purchased twenty-five bento boxes, enough candy to make even Yachiru sick, and now, was getting fresh water.<p>

He knew he could consume a large amount of food, due to the vast amounts of spiritual energy that his body contained. Training, keeping in shape, and keeping those levels required it. Any Shinigami worth their salt consumed at least twice as much food as any normal man with a large appetite.

He jumped down, landing softly and approached. Without any real word to her, he hefted the large jugs into his arms and began to follow her as she walked away.

"I normally have to juggle this by myself." Takeda told him with a bare glance over her shoulder at him. "Well, I normally only need about half the supplies. . .numbers have been increasing though."

'What numbers?' Kenpachi thought as she led him from the district and down a barely there path between the tall grass. This area normally housed thieves, waiting for the desperate who flocked toward the Seireitei looking for work or some kind of way to survive. Some came in hopes of being good enough to be noticed by the academy and taken in too.

They walked until the sun was beginning to leave the sky, painting everything in orange and gold. It was only then that she turned off the path and walked into the dense woods. Further in was some kind of structure, horribly put together, and seemed like it barely stood.

"When the sun sets, and the world is more precious than gold, a crow will cry out, looking for its lost love." She called.

Kenpachi didn't miss the sound of a bolt being drawn back from the door and a small dirty face of a boy peaked out.

"Takeda-chan!" He cried, throwing the door open.

Takeda walked forward, throwing a quick glance at Kenpachi over her shoulder that told him to follow. As soon as they were in the structure, the door shut behind them and was locked again.

Takeda carefully set down her packages on an old table, and Kenpachi set the heavy water jugs down beside it, worried the table would collapse under such weight.

Around him, children's faces made themselves known, all dirty, some injured, and all underfed. They gazed at him in obvious fear, but were also trusting of the woman who was bringing them food.

"Is Choko here?" Takeda called, drawing Kenpachi's attention back to her.

"She's laying down." A little girl said, coming forward with dirty and matted blond hair. Her temple showed a large scab where someone had obviously struck her, and it had been left to heal on its own. She would have a scar. "She isn't feeling well."

"Well," Takeda said, as if the problem were taken care of. "I brought you all some food, but I don't want you to be angry because I bought two boxes for Choko. She needs all she can get."

The children seemed to all nod in understanding at her, none throwing a fuss or even giving her dark looks.

"There's some cups up there." Takeda told him, turning to face him and pointing at a shelf behind him. "If you would kindly get them and give the children each a cup while I give them their food and a small bag of candy each, I would appreciate it."

Kenpachi did as she bid, walking to the shelve and easily grabbing the two dozen cups of various make, even though they were all the same size. Some were chipped, some had cracks, though not bad enough to cause a leak, but they were all mostly clean. Like these children took the time to ensure that they would stay good as long as they could keep them so.

He walked back to the jugs and knelt down, pulling the cover off of the first one. Takeda seemed to take that as her cue, handing each child a bento box and bag of candy as they approached her. Never did they crowd, push each other, or fight. They told her thank you, even thanked him when he handed over the water, and each found a place to settle down and eat.

Finally, only one bag of candy remained, and the two bento boxes. Takeda reached above the table and took an old canteen down, handing it to Kenpachi to fill with water. Once is was full, she motioned for him to follow.

They exited the large main room, with its dirty floor of twenty-three children. He had to duck to enter the doorway that led to a hall with a just as low ceiling. They passed a couple of doorways, where Kenpachi could see old blankets, tattered clothing, and even broken toys. The children's rooms.

Takeda stopped at the door at the very end of the hall. Unlike the other door, it had a blanket covering it, keeping him from seeing what was inside.

"This is Choko's room. She will probably. . .be naked. Don't stare and don't get to close to her. Okay? As a Captain in the Thirteen Court Squad Guard, I expect you have some kind of honor in you."

Kenpachi couldn't help but sneer at her. He was about to give her a crude retort when she pushed the blanket aside and revealed a heavily pregnant girl. A GIRL! Not woman. She looked to be around the age of thirteen-fourteen at most. She barely had any breasts at all, and her body hair was none existent.

"Takeda-chan." The girl said, weakly, but with a smile on her face.

Takeda approached the girl, sitting the food packages, and candy beside the girl on the floor, and helped her sit up.

"How are we doing today, Choko?" Takeda asked, her eyes soft as her voice. "I brought you some food. Two bento boxes, so you and the baby can be as healthy as possible! There is even some candy, if you feel up to it."

Choko gave another weak smile before glancing at the food. "You know it won't be long before I am dead, Takeda-chan. I am too small, too young, to be having a baby. It's far to large for my body."

Takeda didn't deny it, but she didn't let the pain that crossed her face be seen by the girl either.

"You don't know that." Takeda replied gently. "You could live to be older than anyone else here, have a hundred babies."

"Even if that were true, Takeda-chan, I'm just an orphan from the streets, pregnant from rape. No one would take me in."

Kenpachi swallowed hard, looking away from the girl at last. He took a few steps forward, and held out the canteen of water.

The girl, small as she was, and obviously in pain, smiled at him and took the water. Takeda had to take the lid off for her, but the girl obviously appreciated the cool, clean liquid.

It took a while, but Takeda did manage to get the girl to eat one bento box, and a little of the next. The girl didn't touch the candy at all, but finished her water before laying back down on her dirty pile of blankets to sleep again.

"Why didn't anyone try an' get the girl help?" Kenpachi asked once they were outside the structure.

"No one helps anyone in the Zaraki district unless coin changes hand. Even then, the chances are that your coin will be taken, and you will never see the help you paid for. The doctors here are jokes, and the few real midwives that are here, have all told me they have no way of helping her at all. She is too small, too young, to be having babies." Takeda said, her eyes emotionless. "She can't even walk anymore. The kids have give up some of their blankets, so every day, they can take her soiled one down to the river to wash, and she will have fresh clean ones to lay on. They have no clothes that will fit her, and do their best to help her and keep her spirit up. You see though. Even helping these kids as I am, they all await those futures."

Kenpachi looked away, then up at the sky. He needed to get back to his barracks before Yamamoto sent out some kind of search party to demand his return. He hadn't, after all, put in any time for a official request to take off. The woman was strong, but prying her from these kids wasn't going to be easy. In fact, she wouldn't leave them at all if she could help it. He's have to critically injure her to get her back to the Squad barracks, and even then, he'd have to convince her of marriage.

"Bring the little pregnant girl to the Zaraki district tomorrow. Wrap 'er in blankets. I'll meet you there."

Then, he was gone.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi found himself meeting the old man, Captain Yamamoto, late at night. The Captain of the First Squad looked none to happy to be disturbed so late at night.<p>

"What was so important you needed to bother me at this time. Surely it could have waited until tomorrow." Yamamoto griped.

Kenpachi smirked at him. "I found a woman."

"Good for you. Was that all." Yamamoto asked.

"No. She's in the Zaraki district, and there is no way I can bring 'er here. . .unless I get a little help." Kenpachi continued, shifting his weight and crossing his arms over his massive chest. "She is taking care of two dozen kids there. One is a little girl, and heavily pregnant with a child that is the product of rape."

"What do you wish me to do?" Yamamoto asked.

"Offer them places in the academy. The kids need all the schooling they can get. You said we didn't have enough recruits. If the kids have what it takes to become a Shinigami, then they're already in the school. If they don't, give them a good basic education, and then help them find jobs. As for the pregnant little girl, she needs all the help she can get. She won't make it through the birth. If ya do that, I can promise you I will be married within a week." Kenpachi finished, hating having to ask for help. But he well couldn't just show up with a bunch of kids at the academy and demand they get an education. It would take money, and someone with more authority than he had. Well, political authority. If it was a simply matter of beating the shit out of them until they agreed, it would be easy.

Yamamoto regarded him for a moment before grabbing a piece of paper from his desk, as well as a brush and ink.

"Very well, Captain Zaraki. Only because we are in desperate need of more recruits. I will not force the woman into some kind of black mail marriage. You deliver this to her, explain what you have done, and then its up to you to win her over. If she finds a new pet project, I won't offer my help again, understood?" Yamamoto opened his eyes to peer up at the giant captain.

Kenpachi nodded and waited until the letter was dry and Yamamoto had already wrote a letter to the academy and sent if off as well.

Only then, did he return to the Squad Eleven barracks, barely looking at Yachiru as she bounded up to him, and went into his rooms.

* * *

><p>Takeda help Choko carefully against her chest, glaring at any man that dared step within a ten foot distance of the pair, and waited for the massive captain from yesterday. She had gotten Choko up as soon as the sun's light began to creep across the sky, and had began their journey toward the Zaraki district.<p>

Now, the sun was fully in the sky and the streets were bustling with people.

She bit her lip, hoping that he hadn't forgotten, or even lied to her. Not for the sake her own pain, but the pain in knowing that Choko could have gotten help. Not to mention, even though the air was good for the pregnant girl, she was absolutely petrified when she had seen the Zaraki district come into view.

A shadow fell over them, and Takeda turned slowly, relieved to see the captain come into view, a large clean blankets thrown over his shoulder and a paper held in his hand.

"We need to get 'er out of those old blankets. I'll hold 'er while you swap 'em as quick as ya can. I'm sorry we have to do it here, but there is no where that's safe to take 'er to do a quick change."

The massive captain took the pregnant girl into his arms, holding her easily, while Takeda carefully unfolded her from the blankets. With a quick movement, she ripped the old blankets off and spread the new thick warm blanket over her.

The massive captain then carefully wrapped the girl up, settling her against his chest again. He held the paper out toward her.

"What is it?" Takeda asked warily, taking the paper.

"It you get the kids to the gates tomorrow before sunset, then they'll have a free ride to the Shinigami Academy. If they have spiritual powers, they'll stay on and receive the training they need. If they don't, they'll still get a good education, and then they will get help to find good jobs." He muttered gruffly, looking away. "And I'll be taking this little girl to Squad Four, so she has the best medical staff looking after 'er."

Takeda glanced up at him, in shock, before opening the letter and skimming over it. "Why did you do this?"

"I'll discuss that with ya tomorrow when you drop the kids off. I'll be waiting at the gate."

Again, he was gone, this time, with Choko going with him. She prayed the girl would be okay. Then she ran off, ready to get the kids ready for tomorrow. She'd make sure their best clothing got washed and dried over night. They'd get baths too, their hair would be brushed and washed, and they would look the best they could when they went to the gate tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi set outside of Choko's room, waiting for Captain Unohana's report on the girl. The Squad Four Captain had been appalled when she had laid eyes on the pregnant girl when Kenpachi carefully unwound her from the blanket, holding her up for her to see and do a quick check (weight, height, etc). He had kept his eyes averted the whole time while the little girl had clung weakly to his arm, afraid that he'd drop her and hurt the baby.<p>

Captain Unohana had urged him to set her on the bed and then leave the room as several more members of the medical core were called into the room to assist her.

Captain Unohana stepped out finally, looking exhausted, and more disturbingly, covered in blood,

Kenpachi rose quickly, alarm rising. If something bad happened, his chances with that Takeda woman were ruined, because she would surely want to stay involved in the kids lives.

"The girl is resting with the help of some powerful pain killers. She's receiving some healing right now. The baby, which we decided was far enough along to survive outside the womb, is a boy. He's a large baby weighing just over ten pounds. We estimated that the girl was only about seven and a half months along. If she had carried it to term, which was looking slim, it would have surely killed her. As it stands, it probably would have killed her when she went into labor. No midwife from the Zaraki district could have helped her." Captain Unohana murmured.

"What are ya going to do about the baby?" Kenpachi asked.

"He will reside in the same room as his mother. He is doing fine on his own, and I'm assigning a female to be the girls personal nurse. At the moment, we are simply using a breast pump to extract milk from the girl, and feed it to the baby boy in a bottle. When the girl is awake and well enough, she can tell us what she'd like done with the baby. Do you know anything about her? The father?"

Kenpachi slumped a little. "Kids name is Choko. She got raped down in the Zaraki district. Some women called Takeda has been taking care of 'er and a bunch of kids."

Captain Unohana nodded. "Well, we estimate that the mother will not awaken for at least two weeks, with the extent of damage done to her body; not just from the pregnancy. From not moving about on her own, some malnutrition, and feeding a lot of her spiritual energy into the baby when there wasn't food. By the time her body is fully rested, she should be back up to normal on her spiritual energy, and with treatment, she should just be able to walk right out of her bed without needing physical therapy. I'll have some of my best on her. Besides, this will be good training for them when it comes to all the other pregnant women we will have in the future to take care of."

"Whatever." Kenpachi grunted, and turned to leave.

"The girl, Choko-san, would like you to name the boy though. She couldn't think of any good names, but she said she'd like you to pick or, or it will carry your own name." Captain Unohana gave a small giggle. "I think she finds you to be her personal hero."

Kenpachi rolled his eyes and turned back to face the female captain.

"Let's see the brat then."

Captain Unohana led him back into the room, a thick curtain pulled around the girl. Even then, Kenpachi could see that at least four people were surrounding the bed, working on the girl.

A young woman set in the corner of the room, holding a baby in her arms and feeding it from a bottle.

Kenpachi stopped just short, starring down at the baby with golden colored eyes that he knew he had seen recently. Thankfully though, the rest of the baby reminded him of Choko. Same nose, if not a little squashed, dimples in the cheek, and the same dark dirty blond that could almost pass for a light brown.

It was then that he remembered those eyes. . .

He turned to leave the room before saying over his shoulder, "Name the kid Kentaro. He's a big baby, after all."

* * *

><p>Takeda had the kids up before the sun had even rose, dressed, and on their journey. She planned on taking the long way to the gate, not wanting to march the children through the middle of the Zaraki district. If the scourges of the district decided to attack, she had no way of knowing if she would be able to keep an eye on every kid.<p>

She's much rather march them through the fields where she could test the area for spiritual energies and safely lead them without running into bandits. Besides, some of the girls, the oldest having just turned twelve, would have been in more danger than anyone else. If not for someone raping them, they would try and sell them to some of whore house.

It was way after noon before they could see the gates coming into sight. Despite the long journey and only two brief breaks, the kids didn't once complain. She had told them up front about what the captain had done for them, and none of them were stupid enough to turn down a chance at education and a better life.

She glanced back at the kids. Youngest was only four, while the oldest, a boy who refused to talk, was apparently coming on fifteen. He was small though, probably do from the lack of food he had been forced to endure in his life.

"Halt." A Shinigami called as she approached.

Takeda did so, the children stopping behind her, all waiting.

The Shinigami moved forward, raising an eyebrow at the group of children, and her. "What brings you to the gate?"

Takeda held the letter out. "Captain Yamamoto is giving these kids from the Zaraki District a chance at the academy. I was told by a large captain with the symbol for 'eleven' on his back, to bring the kids here. He said he would be waiting." She didn't see him though.

The Shinigami looked over the letter, but one look at the signature and seal had him waving the gates open. On the other side, stood the massive captain, leaning against a pillar just inside, and glaring at many of the people around him.

"Enter." The Shinigami told her, stepping aside.

Takeda led the kids forward, all of them looking around in wonder. As they approached the massive captain, he seemed to finally take notice of them and straighten up. What surprised Takeda even more was the little pink haired girl that popped up over his shoulder, staring at the group of them as well.

"Who are they, Kenny?" the pink haired girl asked.

"Is Kenny your name? You don't seem like a Kenny." Takeda joked.

"The name is Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad Eleven." the massive captain finally introduced himself. "This is my lieutenant, Yachiru."

Takeda blinked and then mentally berated herself. She should have put the facts together and figured out this was the infamous Kenpachi of Zaraki. The man though, wasn't completely like his description described. . .or maybe things had changed. She was always told of his hair being styled into large spikes, topped with bells, and an eye patch that had chain coming off of it.

This Kenpachi though, while his hair was spiky and had been styled so, was done in a careless style, without the bells. His hair obviously was past his shoulders, maybe even touching the top of his shoulder blades, and his eye patch seemed to stay in place without the straps that normally was used to hold it there. So, no chain. It was, however, lined in a grey color. He was fetching, like this. The old stories made him sound like some kind of crazy demon.

Realizing she had been staring, she looked away quickly before looking back and saying, "Well met, Captain Zaraki. You know who I am, of course, and the kids. Nice to meet you too, Lieutenant Yachiru. It's nice to see a child who is so powerful and well taken care of."

Yachiru seemed to blossom under the praise and abandoned Kenpachi's shoulder for her own. "Are you going to join our squad? Are you bringing all these kids with you?"

"No, Yachiru. And get back over here." Kenpachi said gruffly. "We're taking the kids to the academy."

Kenpachi began to walk away, and Takeda followed with the kids in tow.

* * *

><p>The academy had welcomed the kids with open arms, getting them set up in rooms, two to each one, and the kids were ecstatic. They were quickly measured so they could be fitted for school uniforms and some casual clothing. The younger children would start out in a special class added for them to get them up to par with other children; learning to talk, write, etc. Some of the older ones needed to learn to, but they would be kept with other older kids who were learning all of this too. The poorer districts didn't have schools, so it was up to the academy to ensure they could do well in their classes.<p>

With tearful goodbyes and hugs from the children, Takeda left, feeling like she had accomplished what she needed to do with them. She wasn't ready to move on just yet, so she'd find someone else to help in Zaraki until the wonder lust hit her again.

"There's a good bar this way." Kenpachi said, nodding in a direction she didn't catch. With that, Yachiru waved goodbye to them and took off, obviously not old enough to drink, or be at such an establishment.

Takeda followed, eager to have her hands on some sake. She never really got to indulge in alcohol when she was always busy watching over other people.

When they got to the bar, she was surprised to be led into a back room where a low table sat with plenty of plush pillows surrounded it. Kenpachi immediately sat down, propping a new up and resting a thick forearm on it. She decided to sit across from him, as sitting anywhere else seemed to intimate. And she wanted the obstacle of the table between them. The few times she had been in fights at a bar, the table had saved her life. Of course, she was still green then, barely trained in sword fighting and hand to hand combat.

She could beat most people blind folded now.

"Sake, and bring some food in here too. Whatever you got that is good." Kenpachi told the waitress as she entered the room.

The waitress quickly bowed and left the room, leaving the two of them alone.

"Thank you, again, for helping the kids out. How is Choko?" Takeda murmured, breaking the silence.

The waitress walked in, placing several bottles of sake on the table, and a cup in front of each of them.

Takeda raised an eyebrow at the sheer amount of alcohol but shrugged. Kenpachi lifted a bottle and held it toward her. She lifted her cup, and he filled it for her, before he filled his own.

She took a sip and hummed in appreciation. It was the good stuff.

"Captain Unohana made the decision to cut the child out of 'er." Kenpachi began, not sugar coating anything. "They believed the kid was pretty strong enough to survive once they had cut him off. They have Choko drugged up while she heals, and expect it to be two weeks until she is well enough to wake up. They are giving 'er the best medical attention though, and there is a live in nurse right now, who is taking care of the baby while Choko heals."

"Boy or girl?" Takeda asked, taking another sip of the sake.

"Boy, I named him Kentaro." Kenpachi muttered, his eyes darkening in anger.

Takeda felt a small tendril of fear slither down her spine. "Why did you name her baby?"

"The girl apparently asked me too. Well, she told Captain Unohana to tell me to name it, or she'd name it after me." Kenpachi muttered. "The boy weighed over ten pounds, and has gold eyes. Other than that, looks like his mum."

Takeda froze from taking another sip of her sake, her own eyes going cold and angry as she met Kenpachi's fierce gaze. "Gold eyes, huh? Only have met one man in Zaraki that has golden colored eyes. . .other than you."

Kenpachi had been lifting a bottle of sake to pour himself another glass, but it shattered in his grip at her words. His lips twisted in a snarl. "I hope you really don't think that girl would have willingly gone with me if I was her rapist. I thought ya believed Captains had some honor?"

Takeda shrugged and finished off her sake. "It was just an observation, poorly made, and said as an after thought. You did have golden colored eyes. . .though now they're kind of grey."

Kenpachi gave a shrug. "I was told they take on a golden glow when I am in a fightin' mood. Guess it has something to do with my spiritual energy. It manifests as a golden or yellow color."

Takeda picked up a new bottle, ignoring the shards of glass on the table, as well as the mess, and poured more sake into Kenpachi's cup. She then filled hers, taking another sip.

The waitress brought in mounds of food, and quickly gathered up the broken pieces from the sake bottle and disappeared.

"Eat." Kenpachi told her, grabbing a rip of a giant platter of them. "And don't worry about pussy footing around and actin' like a lady 'round me. Could care less."

Takeda grinned and also lifted a rib, happy to rip off a piece of meat and enjoy the flavor. "So, you going to tell me why you did all of this?"

Kenpachi swirled his sake around in his cup before draining all of it. He had been civil, more so than he ever had been anywhere else. He could call this a bit of a date, right? He helped her with her little pet project. Surely they were in good enough standing. "I have to marry within a year."

Takeda nearly spit out the sip of sake she had just taken, but managed to swallow it, sputtering and coughing as she did so. "What?" She asked, tears streaming down her face.

"All the captains and lieutenants have been ordered to marry, except for Yachiru, because she's still to young." Kenpachi continued. "When I saw ya fight, I knew ya were the one I needed as a wife. Don't need some weak woman."

Takeda put her glass down and stared back at the massive imposing captain. "So, if I don't agree to marry you, all the help you gave me goes away, is that it?"

Kenpachi shook his head. "No, the kids are in fer good. I knew ya wouldn't leave 'em, so I got 'em the help they needed."

"I have no plans on marring Captain Zaraki." She said coolly, and formally. "I go where I am needed to help people that need it. You, don't need my help."

She rose, turned to the door, and slid it open. Just as she had it almost closed she heard: "But ya needed mine."

She gritted her teeth and finished sliding the door closed before she exited the bar, her gut cold. Why would anyone help those kids. She believed him when he said that the kids were in for good, but he had expected her to want to make the payment anyways. It was just like she had said; In Zaraki, people only helped people who had coin.

It figured that the man from Zaraki, who had even taken it as a name, would expect her to make the payment, with her life and body.

* * *

><p>FOUR MONTHS LATER<p>

Takeda was about ready to pull her hair out. While he hadn't actually approached her, she could feel Kenpachi's presence, constantly. He was watching her, and at some points, scared off potential fighters with the weight of his stare. Men had been ready to fight her, only to look around and panic like spooked horses. Next thing she knew, they were gone.

"You son of a bitch. Show yourself. I'm getting damn sick of you following me around all the time. If you want me so bad, why don't you do something about it?" She snarled, turning to face the empty woods were she prowled for predators.

Kenpachi was in front of her like that, gazing down her with a wicked smirk on his face, while his eyes were cold as ice. "Ya called."

"State what you want and then be on your way, Shinigami." Takeda spat. "Because I won't put up with this for much longer. I am ready to move on just to be away from you!"

"If ya beat me in a fight, I'll leave ya alone." Kenpachi nearly purred at her.

"I am not stupid enough to except a challenge from you, Captain Zaraki." Takeda huffed, turning to leave. "Just move on Zaraki. I am sure there are plenty of Shinigami women who are strong enough to put up with you."

"A challenge then?"

Takeda turned and raised an eyebrow. "At the arena tomorrow. If ya can cut me within ten strikes, I'll leave ya alone. If ya don't, ya have one more chance to strike me. If I strike ya before ya strike me, we marry."

"You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" Takeda asked warily.

"No." He answered, and it was an honest answer.

"Fine." Takeda murmured, turning to walk to the old battered home the children had lived in. She would stay the night there, and mentally prepare herself for what was to come.

"If I win, we get married immediately and there will be a weddin' night!" Kenpachi yelled after her.

Takeda stopped, looked back at him, then nodded. "Very well." She wouldn't lose."

* * *

><p>Takeda entered the arena for the first time in several months. She doubt they would have welcomed her back anyways, not with her knocking out the announcerowner. They guy had it coming to him though.

Inside the arena, it was more packed than she had ever seen it. Unsurprising though, she doubted the money that was brought in today would go to either her or Kenpachi. It was all in the pocket, and it was obvious that good word spread fast.

She made her way to the roped off section, and set her bag down. Her whole life was in that bag. There was no memory of her past, just a blankness that was dark and vast. With all the women she had saved in the past and dealt with, she often wondered if she had repressed her past to protect herself. Maybe she had no past because she was one of those few souls that came to the Soul Society with no memories, or maybe something took them from her. The day she woke up though, it was naked, in the snow, clutching a sword that was without a sheath.

She had laid there until an old woman found her and took her into her home.

She stirred her mind away from those thoughts. The old woman had given her a name, found someone to train her to use her sword and control her spiritual energy. What happened to the old woman who was like her mother was unfair and cruel. That's when her life of traveling had begun. She didn't want to stay in one place too long, didn't want to get attached. She didn't ever want to feel that kind of pain again.

"Glad ya showed."

Takeda barely kept herself from jumping when she heard Kenpachi's voice in her ear. She had been so distracted with her thoughts, she hadn't realized he was approaching. Probably the equivalent of ignoring a Menos Grande as it attacked. She snorted at the thought and turned to face him, barely having to lift her face to gaze into his eyes. She gave him her best blank scare. She wasn't afraid, she was going to give her all, and she would be doing her damned best to win this!

"Well, we have quite the little match today!" The announcer yelled out to the crowd. The lovely Takeda-san has to agreed to a little challenge from none other than the Captain of Squad Eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki!" The crowd was going crazy. The announcer waited until they were quiet again. "The rules are, Takeda-san has ten tries to cut Captain Zaraki. If she fails, she has one last shot, but it must be done before he injures her. Failure to succeed results in Takeda-san's marriage to the Captain Zaraki."

"Put that bitch in her place!" Became the favorite thing to yell at that moment.

Takeda couldn't help the sneer that curled her lips, but Kenpachi just motioned for her to get in the ring for the challenge to begin.

She got in, drawing her zanpakuto, and waiting.

Kenpachi got in, and threw off his coat and began to undo his top. Once he was only in his hakama pants only. She had to take a moment to enjoy the strong muscles that played across his body. He wasn't, by any means, the most attractive man she had ever seen, but he took good care of his body, and scars were just somehow a little more sexy.

"Feel free to release yer sword if ya feel the need." Kenpachi told her, then licked his lips in a way that made her want to call the whole thing off and run. He was too smug, and that worried her. Like he had some secret that she should know.

She drew a deep breath in and let it out, focusing her entire being down to him. He was the enemy right now, he was the one standing in the way of her moving forward. To move forward, he needed to be cut down.

She stepped forward and swung with all her might, but her sword just stopped when it touched his skin. A small vibration worked its way down her sword and into her hands, then arms. She stepped back, surprise showing on her face. His skin was armored with spiritual energy. . .Probably just as natural as hers, only he kept it close. Much closer than she did.

She tried again, putting a healthy chunk of her own spiritual energy behind the swing, but came up with the same result.

Kenpachi, for his part, didn't smirk or gloat. He just kept his arms down, with his sword held loosely in his right hand, waiting until the eleventh strike would come.

Takeda closed her eyes for a moment, and tried once more, pouring a hell of a lot of spiritual energy into it. Still, nothing.

She leapt back a little ways and touched her blade gently with her left hand. "Rumble, Yama no Seishin!" She held her sword easily, knowing that it looked no different to anyone else. It was all about what her Shikai could do though. The sword was immensely heavy, not to her, but in its swing, she could easily select how much weight went behind the swing. In short, she could put a hell of a lot of weight behind it, the heaviest being around four tons.

She jumped and swung again, bring the sword to strike his left shoulder. She'd give him a matching scar to go on the other side of his torso.

Nothing.

Every time she added more weight, and she added it a ton at a time, having started with one ton behind it. She had struck him seven times now.

Only three tries left.

"Jishin, Yama no Seishin!" She cried. (Quake, Mountain Spirit!)

Her zanpakuto transformed into a giant hammer, with the back side holding a long wicked sharp point. She twisted it around till the spike faced downward. One good hit from this and she could change the face of a mountain if she so choose. If this didn't hurt him, then she was screwed.

Three hits later, she was quickly let her zanpakuto go into its normal state to make the sword swing quicker.

Kenpachi was faster though, and her felt the trickle of blood running down the side of her neck from where his sword rested.

"Looks like we're getting' married." Kenpachi said, a smirk twisting his lips.

Takeda snarled and sheathed her sword quickly and retrieved her bag. She was such an idiot! Of course he would know that she couldn't beat him.

As she threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she caught sight of the last man she had fought here. . .and he was the man that raped Choko.

She threw one look at Kenpachi before she bound toward the man, drawing her sword as she went. When his head fell to the ground and the crowd freaked and moved away from her, Kenpachi grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.

"Stupid woman." He muttered, kicking the door open, and leaving with her.

* * *

><p>"What's your name?"<p>

Takeda sighed and looked at the older man in front of her. He introduced himself of the Captain Commander, and Captain of Squad One. His name was Yamamoto something or other. "Yukino Takeda."

"Just sign here. Kenpachi made it very clear he didn't want a ceremony, so marital papers will have to suffice for your marriage." Yamamoto said, sliding a paper across the desk along with a brush and ink.

Takeda sighed and grabbed up the brush. With a quick dip in the ink she scrawled her name across the paper and sealed her fate.

Kenpachi was quick to do the same, then motion for her to follow him.

All ready, the day was late in the Seireitei. Many people milled around looking at stalls, moving into small restaurants to get food, or even head home.

"Ye'll be stayin' with me in the Squad Eleven barracks. It'd do some good for Yachiru to have a women 'round some." Kenpachi told her.

Takeda sighed and glanced at the signs painted up on the walls. "We stopping somewhere before we go to the Squad Eleven barracks?" She asked.

"No."

"Then why did you take a left, when the sign back there clearly indicated that Squad Eleven is to the right?" Takeda snapped.

* * *

><p>Takeda. . .No, she was just Yukino now. Yukino Zaraki. She nearly spat at the name as she tried to relax in the shower. Hot water beat over her tired body, and all she wanted to do was sit down and cry.<p>

Kenpachi explained why she was here. Two children, that's all he needed from her. When the second child was at least two, she could beat the road and be free of him. It was so cold, impersonal, and yet demanding over her. She wasn't used to being ruled, by anyone. She had always been her own person, doing what she wanted, planning what her life was going to be like.

Now she had a _husband_ who was telling her that she was a but a breeding mare for him. She pounded the tile wall, which was apparently reinforced to withstand a beating, because her knuckles split on contact.

To make matters worse, she felt cool air at her back for a moment, and knew Kenpachi had entered the shower with her. She tried to take a few breaths to calm herself, knowing that this is probably where it would start. . .the sex. Just by looks alone, she knew he wouldn't be kind or gentle in his love making. Hell, she'd be lucky if he wasn't a selfish love.

Kenpachi's rough battle-scared hands smoothed from her shoulders, down her back, briefly stopping to wrap around her mid section. His thumbs smoothed over her flesh for a few moments, before he pulled her back against him.

His erection was hot and heavy as it was pressed at the top her butt, and lower back. One arm wrapped around her to hold her in place, while his other took a hold of her hair and jerked her head up so she was forced to look at him. "I only take women from behind. I don't do none of that romantic crap." He told her.

"Just do whatever. I want this to be done with so I can rest." She murmured.

Kenpachi shoved her forward gently, and she caught herself from falling by bracing her arms on the tiled wall. That must have been what he wanted, because he held her in place with a strong hand on her back.

For a moment, it was quiet, and she was tempted to look behind her to see what he was doing. That was when she felt him bite the back of her thigh. Only so many years of practice of holding completely still kept her from jerking away from him. He bit, none to gently, until he worked his way up to her womanhood. He spread her cheeks apart with large hands, before his tongue snaked out and gave a long lick.

Yukino bit her lip to keep from crying out. It had been so many years since she had been with a man. It was never about love, only mutual needs. She wasn't afraid to say that it had been a long, long time since she had taken care of such needs. Kenpachi was doing a wonderful job at fixing that problem, with tongue alone.

She gave a keening cry as her orgasm overpowered her and only Kenpachi wrapping a hand around her hips kept her from falling.

She trembled like a new born colt, take in little gasps of breath while every nerve ending in her body seemed to come alive. She was well aware of when Kenpachi stood and without any kind of warning, shoved into her. It hurt, but while she was still riding out of aftershocks of her orgasm. . .it felt good.

He wasn't gentle. There was no sweetness to it. His hips slammed into hers, and only her strength and holding herself away from the wall kept her from a serious injury. His hands held her hips just a little to tightly, his strokes were just a little to deep, bumping her cervix. It bordered on being almost too much pain. . .It was also just the right amount of pleasure though.

"Getting close." He grunted out.

Yukino let one hand drop down to stroke that sensitive bundle of nerves, ready for another amazing orgasm. When it ripped though her though, she wasn't prepared for his orgasm though.

"Damn it woman. Too tight." He bit out before giving a long, throaty groan. His seed filled her, feeling as scorching hot as lava, and exiting with enough force to somehow keep her orgasm going.

When he pulled out and released her, she slumped down the wall, sitting there, with the shower spray running down her back, and washing small bits of evidence of their sexual encounter.

She looked up, and he was gone.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: O.O Wow. I was working on this, unsure of where it was going to go. Next thing I know, I've typed up like 18 pages worth. -scratches head- I'm trying very hard to keep everyone within a two-part limit. Kenpachi might (that's a very long stretch too) be three parts. I mean, look how long it took for him to get the damn girl!<p> 


	7. Kenpachi Zaraki Part 2

WARNING: THIS STORY IS RATED MATURE FOR A REASON!

Thank you for the lovely review. I appreciate them!

Seems that Takeshi is not a favorite amongst the OC's, thus far. Lol -shrug- Wouldn't be any fun if they were all nice people, would it? There's a possibility that there might be a further explanation of Takeshi's sword later (involving Aizen), as someone claimed him to be a Gary Stu for being overly powerful. Not my intention. You'll just have to wait and see, won't cha?

Also, I would like to point out that this is glimpses into their lives. If I were to write about nearly every day (through their marriages, pregnancies, etc) then I'd have over twenty chapters per one character. It's a series of romances (forced, lol) that we are privilaged to look at. . .like looking through a window. Catching glimpses of them when they are in view, and missing whats goion on when they are not in our focus. Every character chapters is set up so you can pick and read in the order you wish. Meeting some characters in other stories, and vice versa.

Enjoy!

Kenpachi Zaraki- Part 2 (of Three)

Yukino exited the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel. Her clothes, which she had taken the time to wash while she tried to calm down in the shower. Now, they were draped over the counters and such, drying. Which meant she had no clothes to wear to bed. She glanced around the room, not surprised to see Kenpachi no where in size.

Sighing, she looked over the futon in the corner with only a single blanket and two pillows, one obviously new. It actually made her smirk. If this was his way of changing up his bachelor pad to welcome in a wife, he was doing a horrible job. Then again, she wasn't exactly all that girly, was she?

A glance outside told her it was late in the evening, only a small glow from the sun's retreating form seen in the distant. Part of her wanted to find something to eat. . .the other part told her to just go to sleep.

She rolled her shoulder and dropped her towel, throwing it in the corner that seemed to be filled with dirty clothes, and climbed onto the futon, taking the older pillow. She liked her pillows flat, squished, and used. New ones were just to fluffy and she never slept well on them.

It didn't take long until she was asleep.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi entered his room, surprised to make out Yukino's sleeping form on the futon. The covers had slipped down to her waist, making it obvious that she was completely bare. He swallowed as he felt all his blood begin to head south, all to happy to inflate the piece of him that had been inside of her body earlier.<p>

He wouldn't mind having her again. If he ever needed a good fuck, he'd normally go find some bar crawler, get her drunk, abuse her body as he pleased, and leave her with little or no memory that they had been together. Well, other than the used condoms that would litter the floor. He was an asshole enough to let them know that they had drunken sex.

Yukino had been the first woman he had slept with in well. . .forever, that there was no condoms, no darkness, and no alcohol involved. She had excepted his aggressive behavior, maybe even enjoyed it to some degree. While sex was great, and he knew she had her own releases. . .he knew some women would cry after such an act.

He had to stop himself from spitting on his own floor, and made his way toward the futon, stripping his own clothes off as he went. He lifted the blanket, crawler up beside her, and laid his head on the new pillow since she had stolen his.

"Again. . ." She murmured, waking.

"What?" Kenpachi asked.

"You're ready for sex again? Why can't you be one of those men who just fall asleep after sex?" She grumbled, sleepily.

Kenpachi smirked and went ahead, allowing his hand to slide over her hip and cup her womanhood, a finger sliding into her.

He enjoyed the small gasp she made, and arched back into him. He ground lightly against her backside as he fingered her.

"I have a lot of stamina." He growled into her ear, slipping another finger.

"No shit." She gasped, arching again.

Kenpachi pulled his fingers from her, and jerked her up onto all fours. He loved that she was only eight or so inches shorter than he, it made positions like this all the easier. With other women, he had to put them on something higher so he could take them from behind. Not with Yukino. She was perfect. Meant for him, to bare his children, and satisfy his needs for as long as he had her.

When he slid into her, she shuddered, her muscles clenching around him deliciously.

He began a fast and furious pace, her gasps and small cries just egging him on. He settled himself again her, his chest pressed into her back and his muscular arms resting above her shoulders, caging her in.

"Ya close little girl?" He growled.

"Yes!" She cried, pressing back to him.

It took only seconds for her orgasm to wash over her, forcing him to go with her. He reared back and sank his teeth in her shoulder, tasting blood as he growled his release into her bleeding flesh.

He pulled out, and watched as she collapsed immediately, blood beginning to seep from the wound and drip down onto the bed.

"Let me get something to take care of that." He grunted, rising from the bed.

After he applied a disinfectant and placed a bandage over the bite mark, he laid down and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Yukino had waken up to Yachiru and some woman. . .which was actually a man, starring down at her.<p>

Suffice to say, she had attacked the man when he made some mention of her breasts being beautiful. It had taken Kenpachi, some bald man, and Yachiru to keep her from killing him. She doubted the guy would ever enter Kenpachi's room again, seeing as she delivered enough threats to make every man in the room uncomfortable.

The man, Yumichika, had went with Yachiru to apparently wake her, take her shopping for clothes and other things she'd need, and then deliver her to the Fourth Squad barracks for a check up.

So here they were now, Yukino saying no to every article of clothing that Yumichika picked up and showed her.

"How can you refuse to wear such beautiful clothing?" Yumichika whined. He then turned a disgusted look to her old and worn clothing. "You can't wear that every day."

"You're right. We should find someone who can make more of these for me, because I refuse to dress in dresses, high heels, and kimonos. I am a warrior first, woman second." Yukino snapped.

"What will you wear when you are pregnant? You obviously won't want to be wearing such tight and restricting clothing while you are that big. It would be. . .un-beautiful." Yumichika said with a sniffle.

Yukino found herself reaching for her zanpakuto, but was stopped when the bald guy, apparently named Ikkaku, stepped in between them. After the mornings events, Kenpachi thought it would be safer for everyone if there was someone to step between the pair.

"There's a store down here that can probably get you what you need." Ikkaku said, ignoring the pouting look Yumichika gave. "And ignore Yumichika. He'll get over it."

"He should get over himself." Yukino muttered, sending a glare over her shoulder as Ikkaku led her away. At some point, Yachiru had just disappeared. At first, she was ready to go looking for the little girl, but the two men had told her that Yachiru always disappeared, and to just leave her alone.

After getting everything she needed, wanted, and could dream of, ordered from the store Ikkaku had taken to, the trio headed into a small restaurant for lunch.

"After this, we'll head to Squad Four. They'll give you the full check up, make sure you are in top shape for kids and whatever." Ikkaku told her after they placed their orders to a very harassed looking waitress.

"Great, I want them to do something about this damn bite mark Zaraki felt the need to leave me with. Hurts like a mother." Yukino snorted, sipping her water. She was only drinking water because Yumichika claimed that mother's-to-be don't get to drink alcohol.

She watched the look pass between Yumichika and Ikkaku before she snapped, "What?"

"I'd leave the bite mark alone, if I were you." Ikkaku said with a shrug. "The Captain might get pissed that you had it healed."

"If I don't, it will leave a damn scar." Yukino pointed out.

"That's exactly why you shouldn't touch it." Yumichika told her. "The Captain is a very dominant man. Almost to the point of being completely animalistic. He left his mark on you for a reason."

Yukino snorted and took another drink of her water.

"If you get it removed, the next mark he leaves might not be as. . .nice." Ikkaku added, sipping his sake.

Yukino remained quiet but decided to watch the pair. It was obvious they were friends, and of two completely different personalities. They joked, shoved, and laughed like the oldest of friends.

It caused a slight pain in her heart that she ignored as she began to eat her food as it arrived. She ate it all, with manners, despite the fact that she hadn't eaten anything the day before, or even that morning. Yumichika was much the same, enjoying his food, but doing so with manners.

Ikkaku on the other hand, just devoured his food like he was afraid that someone was going to steal it.

Soon enough, Ikkaku had dropped the money on the table for their meal and drinks, and he began leading her through the streets. She took her time to look around, ignoring the slightly impatient look on Ikkaku's face. It was amazing to see so many people wondering around, all the stalls selling gifts or food, and there was no thieving. Every once in a while, she would see a gambling game going on, or two men sparring as people placed bets. It was all calm though. Guards from various Squads patrolled the streets, others were keeping it clean.

"It's so busy." She said in awe. "So many people."

"It's normally not like this." Yumichika informed her. "With all the brides coming in though, we had to open our doors for them, and of course, to help keeping money flowing, we allowed vendors in as well. It's also good for relations I guess."

Yukino nodded and turned to follow again, stopping when she seen a Captain's jacket. She squinted to see the number, only to be pulled along by Ikkaku and Yumichika quickly.

"What was that about?" Yukino snapped, trying to jerk her arms free of the two.

"When it comes to Captains, you have to learn which ones are unapproachable, friendly, jerks, and the ones you have to run away from." Yumichika told her. "That one is one of the ones you have to run away from."

"Who was he?" Yukino asked, giving up and allowing the pair to push her along.

"Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad Twelve. He has no problem sacrificing his own men, experimenting on anyone, and has no soul." Yumichika continued. "Curious, I wonder why he was browsing the vendors. . ."

* * *

><p>"You are in very good shape, Zaraki-san." Captain Unohana smiled as she wrote down a few more notes.<p>

"Yukino." Yukino corrected immediately. "My name is Yukino Takeda."

Captain Unohana let her smile slip slightly, but said nothing as she continued to make notes. "You're spiritual pressure is very high, which is good, consider that your are married to Captain Zaraki."

Yukino gave a twitch of her nose, but still said nothing as the Captain continued with her questions and note taking.

"Have you and Captain Zaraki already engaged in sexual relations?" The Captain asked next.

"Yes." Yukino answered.

"Was it mutual?"

Yukino shrugged her shoulder. "It wasn't rape. He came into the shower, while I expected us to wait for that night. It was going to happen anyways. It just happened earlier than I expected."

Captain Unohana scribbled a few more notes. "Would you like me to take care of that injury on your back? It seems to be causing your discomfort."

"I was told by the gentlemen escorting me, that removing said 'injury' which is a bite mark, would upset Captain Zaraki, and I should leave it. Otherwise, the next mark might be even worse." Yukino said, shrugging her shoulder then wincing. "I'd rather leave it alone on those words."

Captain Unohana made a few more notes, a frown settling on her face. A few minutes passed before she began again. "You are aware, that Shinigami have better chances of getting pregnant, correct? I am aware that you have a zanpakuto, and have been informed that you reach Bankai. Though you have no training as a Shinigami, it is safe to assume you fall into such category. It is as easy as checking the morning after you've had sexual relations to see if you are pregnant. Would you like me to check now?"

"Sure." Yukino responded, laying back on the bed when Captain Unohana motioned her too. She relaxed, lacing her hands behind her head, and stared up at the ceiling.

"You are."

"Excuse me?" Yukino asked, shifting her gaze to the Captain in shock.

"You are already pregnant." Captain Unohana repeated. "I recommend that, if Captain Zaraki is rough during sex, that you ask him to cease, so that nothing happens. With such high amounts of spiritual energy from both of you, you might want to slowly up your food intake. Your body will convert it for you during the pregnancy and store it up as a reserve for the baby, and even be beneficial to the birth. I will write down certain teas you should drink to help in the future. One being a good one to drink to help with morning sickness. We will ask to see you once a week, to keep a good eye on the child."

Yukino blinked once, the room darkening in the surrounding of her vision, before she, for the first time in her life, passed out.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi had just finished his after noon nap, and was making his way to the court yard for a little training when he seen Yumichika running, with Ikkaku following. In Ikkaku's arms, was Yukino. The pair didn't even notice him as they ran into the barracks.<p>

Kenpachi immediately followed, watching the pair disappear into his bedroom.

"Wake up, Yukino-san." Ikkaku said, fanning her gently. "The Captain's gonna kill us if you aren't awake when he gets here."

"Too late." Kenpachi said, startling the pair. "What happened?"

"We don't know. Captain Unohana asked us to bring her back here, lay her in bed, and make her comfortable. She told us that you could go and talk to her, if she hadn't woken up by the time you came in." Yumichika said, covering Yukino up.

Kenpachi nodded. "I'll go talk to 'er now."

* * *

><p>Captain Unohana wasn't surprised to see Kenpachi come through the door. Or if she wasn't, she didn't let it show in the least bit.<p>

"Captain Zaraki." Captain Unohana greeted him,

"What the hell made my woman pass out like a sissy?" Kenpachi asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why, the news of her pregnancy of course. It takes only a matter of hours for us to know if someone gets pregnant. You two must be a very fertile pair." Captain Unohana said with a smile. "I gave her some suggestions but I'll go ahead and tell you as well. I would call of sex for now, Captain Zaraki. It is obvious that you are a little too rough, and that could effect the child. Yukino-san had strong bruising around her hips, and a very savage bite mark on her shoulder. She wouldn't let me heal it because she was told it might be worse next time. I suggest, Captain Zaraki, that you take better care of your wife."

Kenpachi stared down at the little woman captain, unafraid, but taking in the very serious and stern look on her face. "She's my woman. I'll treat 'er like I choose."

"Captain Zaraki, she might be your wife, but she is also carrying your child. It doesn't matter how strong she is, the baby is not. One move that won't hurt her, can kill that child. Too much stress, can kill the child." Captain Unohana told him. "I suggest you think long and hard about all of this before you do something utterly stupid. Now get out."

* * *

><p>EIGHT MONTHS LATER<p>

Yukino sighed as she rubbed her lower back, wishing that the baby would hurry up and decide it was ready to come out. It had taken her throwing a tree (that she forced Ikkaku to pull up for her) and throwing it at Kenpachi's head to get him to get a real bed. Up until three months ago, when that happened, she had been sleeping on the futon still. It got to where she couldn't get up on her own, Yumichika would have to come in every morning and help her, as well as rub her back to help her spasming muscles, and even help her take a bath or shower.

It hadn't been awkward for very long, since Yumichika began to bring his girlfriend with him. That way, there was another girl around, and apparently, so Yumichika's girlfriend didn't think he was running around on her.

"Look who keeps sitting up all on her own." Yumichika cooed when he walked in, his girlfriend in tow.

"Hey guys." She greeted, allowing them to help her stand. "How's the big guy doing this morning? Unhappy that I made him wake up and get me a snack again?"

Yumichika gave a shrug of his shoulder and helped her waddle to the bathroom. "He's pretty quiet this morning. Guess he is dealing with the aftermath of your and Yachiru's argument from yesterday."

Yukino snorted, but stayed quiet. Yesterday, the baby had been kicking something fierce. She had barely slept, and Kenpachi had set there all night, rubbing her back and trying whatever he could to help her. . .for once. Suffice to say, she planned on not leaving her bed unless she had to, and Yumichika had volunteered to hang with her for the day, and make sure she was all right.

When she didn't make an appearance at breakfast, Yachiru had decided to come in and bother her, while Yumichika was gone to get her some food. The little girl had bounced all over the bed, shouted, and overall griped about her not getting up and 'being lazy'. Yukino had finally had enough, and when Yachiru tried to drag her from the bed again, it resulted in Yukino finally snapping and yelling at her. Something along the lines of: 'There are people half your age that are full adults here in the Seireitei! It's time you finally grew up too! Life isn't all about eating candy, following everyone around, and coloring pictures! You need to realize that there comes a time when it's not cute anymore! I've had enough Yachiru! Grow up!'

The little girl had turned red in anger, and was actually about to strike out when Kenpachi had come in, stopping the little girl. While Yachiru whined at her father figure what a 'meanie' I was being to her, for no reason, I got fed up again.

'Get her out of here Kenpachi. I'm tired, sore, and not in the mood to deal with her juvenile antics. She keeps yelling, jumping on the bed, and trying to pull me out of it. I am not sorry that I yelled at her, so don't expect me to apologize. I am dead serious when I say this though; she can't come in here anymore.'

Kenpachi had taken Yachiru out of the room, apparently even scolding the girl some himself (much to everyone's surprise).

"I heard that Yachiru has ran away."

Yukino turned to Yumichika's girlfriend. The girl was normally quiet, not having much to say, but when she did. . .it was always something that caught your attention. "Kenpachi is going to murder me." She moaned, slumping slightly. "Yumichika, you're in charge of making me look beautiful for my own funeral."

Yumichika gave a chuckle. "He won't kill you until you've given him his brat's, as he calls them."

Yukino just gave a grunt and leaned against the counter and Yumichika began to fill the bathtub with hot water. She loved soaking in the bath. It helped relax her muscles, since she wasn't used to going so long without exercise.

"I'll take care of this. Get lost."

Yukino glanced at the doorway, surprised to see Kenpachi standing there.

Yumichika cast her a quick glance before leaving, his girlfriend following behind him.

Yukino sighed and looked into the filling bathtub. She knew he was probably going to talk to her about Yachiru. She wouldn't be surprised if he defended the little girl and told her how wrong she was. She was tired of ignoring it all though. The kids she took care of in the Zaraki district were more grown up than Yachiru was. How could she hold such a high ranking position as Lieutenant when she would cry and throw a fit when someone refused her way?

Kenpachi shut the taps off for the bathtub as it filled up. He helped her stand, and get out of her robe before gently lifting her, and slowly sitting her into the bathtub.

Yukino sighed and leaned back, enjoying the hot water. Already, her muscles were beginning to relax, and sooth the pain.

Kenpachi was knelt beside her, on hand under the water, laying over her stomach.

"Yachiru ran away. Well, she said she wanted to be alone, and not to follow 'er. Otherwise, she'd send whoever was looking for 'er back in a body bag." The massive captain told her.

"What do you want me to say, Kenpachi? Someone was bound to say it at some point anyways. It just happened to be your angry, hormonal, sore, and tired wife." Yukino sighed, looking at him.

"I don't want you to say anything." Kenpachi murmured. "She was raised around guys, and I always just gave into her. I never forced her to grow up, or take responsibility for the things she did. I was hoping things would change with you, a mother figure, in her life."

"Eight months of me, isn't going to change a lifetime of what she has gotten away with, Kenpachi. I can promise you though, our kids won't be raised like that. If they even begin to act that way, I will kick your ass to kingdom come." Yukino threatened.

Kenpachi chuckled and removed his hand from her stomach. "I'll go get ya some breakfast. Ya'll be okay for a few moments?"

Yukino nodded and reached for a scented bath oil.

When the captain left, she let her mind drift off into thought. Things were different between them. He wasn't as crass toward her, more gentle, and hadn't really touched her since she found out she was pregnant. Well, touched her sexually. He began to treat her a little better, maybe that's because she began doing Squad Eleven's paperwork out of boredom. Yumichika and Ikkaku would help her, especially when she had to detail the Squad's daily events, or training regiment.

The end result of all of that, left her with a standard Shinigami Uniform, with a special haori that looked much like the Captains. Kenpachi didn't mind, and at times, she had found her haori gone, and his in its place.

Yukino felt a grin curve her lips at the thought of the first day she had walked down the street in Kenpachi's jacket. The sheer amount of shocked faces was enough to bring her glee, even now. When she delivered the paper work, more people had fallen over themselves then she had probably seen in her entire lifetime.

Kenpachi returned a few minutes later with a banana sliced up on top of some oatmeal. She found she preferred softer foods in the mornings, and it had helped with her morning sickness as much as Captain Unohana's teas had.

"Thank you." She murmured, taking the warm bowl and sitting it atop of breasts. Nudity in front of Kenpachi had quickly became a normal. He walked around naked in his rooms at night, until she had gotten clothes she had slept naked, and when she began to outgrow some stuff, she slept naked again. Even now, he had a tendency to push her night dress off so he could keep an arm around her stomach.

She ate the first bite of her breakfast, humming in appreciation. Just a slight hint of cinnamon to her oatmeal, and a sprinkling of sugar.

Kenpachi just watched her, taking the bowl back when she was finished, and setting it aside. The water was starting to cool slightly, and so Yukino made a sigh and raised her arms to him, indicating she was ready to get out.

Kenpachi wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and dipped down, placing his other arm under her knees and lifted her straight out.

"Now you're clothes are all wet." Yukino murmured, gripping his haori tightly.

"Doesn't matter. Won't be in 'em for my longer." Kenpachi told her, walking toward the bedroom. He allowed his spiritual pressure to quickly dry them off as he walked toward the bed.

"Kenpachi, what are you doing? We can't have sex! It's too dangerous for the baby! Please Kenpachi, don't do this!" Yukino began to panic.

"Shush." Kenpachi murmured, laying her in the middle of the bed, then crawling up on it with her. "Retsu told me to do this. Said yer spiritual energy was depletein' faster than ya could recreate it. Told me to share mine. I have to be gentle. Very gentle. Tell me if I am not being gentle enough."

Yukino relaxed back into the pillows as Kenpachi gently began to run his hands over her body.

With a sigh, she admitted, "I can't believe you'd want to have sex with me when I look like a whale. Must be really desperate for a fuck."

Kenpachi's eyes met hers, and his hands stilled on her body. "I ain't desperate for anything, except to touch my wife." He growled lowly. His hands swept up and squeezed her breasts gently, his thumbs stroking over her nipples. "I have been wantin' to touch you for so long. Was willin' to wait until after ya were healthy again, but I will do this. Ya and our baby will be healthy."

Yukino bit her lip hard, making it bead with blood as she stifled her moans. Her husband, upon seeing the red dots on her lips, making sure to lick them off before giving her a smoldering kiss.

His hands began to explore down her body again, and Yukino let her small moans escape this time. She had been craving this, but due to Captain Unohana's words, had sworn off sex. She had ignored every urge and impulse, despite her bodies need, and now. . .Now she was finally going to get the need, that urge, scratched.

He slipped a finger into her sex, and she shuddered deliciously. She couldn't see what he was doing to her because of her distended stomach, but that only made it more erotic. She panted as he gently thrust his finger in and out of her for a few minutes, then added another, repeating the same process.

"Gotta make sure yar ready." Kenpachi grunted, lowering his mouth to her sex. "So tight around my fingers. . .need to stretch ya again."

By the time he was satisfied enough to enter her, Yukino was nearly boneless with the pleasure he had flooded through her body. Inch by inch he slid into her, visibly shaking and sweating as he kept himself in check.

As he continued to. . .make love to her, he slowly began to feed in his spiritual energy, directing it through his cock and straight into her pulsing womanhood.

"Ah. . .Ah. . .Kenpachi!"

* * *

><p>TWO WEEKS LATER<p>

"You look ready to pop." Ikkaku said as he set with Yukino on the porch of the Squad Eleven building. "You sure its only one baby in there?"

"I'm certain. Kicks like a damn mule too." Yukino complained, rubbing a hand over her stomach. "Should be any day now."

"Makes you wonder how the Captain's going to react when its time. He keeps a pretty level head about everything, unless you mess with Yachiru, who's like his daughter. Now that there is a little baby on the way. . ." Ikkaku trailed off, wondering.

"He'll probably baby it if it's a girl, which I will put a stop to. . .If it's a boy though, he'll probably take the, 'Be a man!' approach. To which, I will kick his ass if my son ever comes crying up to me repeating that bullshit."

"That's right. Get all that dirty swearing you learned from Squad Eleven out of your system. Won't be doing all that when the baby comes." Yumichika said as he joined them, a large plate of chilled watermelon in his grip.

"I'm surprised Yachiru didn't follow you." Yukino murmured, taking a piece of melon and biting into it. "Or is she serious about this whole adult thing?"

"Seems pretty serious. She's been training a lot, and as of the last few days, sneaking off. I think she has a boyfriend. Pity the man." Yumichika murmured, passing a piece of watermelon to Ikkaku. "You might have to interfere with her life."

"Is that the new game? Let's see how I can piss Kenpachi off since he has no idea how to raise a child?" Yukino asked, laughing. "If Yachiru's got herself a man, I'm sure she can take care of herself. . .Hell, what am I talking about? If Yachiru has a man, he's probably tied up somewhere, waiting for her return."

The trio laughed and enjoyed the watermelon.

"I think I'm going to go inside. My lower back has been killing me all day, and I could use a nap." Yukino said a while later. As she struggled to get to her feet, she was shocked to her a loud splattering. Almost like someone spilled a pitcher of water. Quickly, she realized it wasn't just the sound. . .she could feel the wetness.

"Yumichika. . ." She groaned, her knees going weak.

Ikkaku managed to grab her before she fell, instantly picking her up. "I'm getting her to Squad Four. Go find the Captain, Yumichika."

As Ikkaku darted away with her, her vision began to dim.

_Something isn't right. . . Something isn't right. . .Oh gods. . .SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT!_

"Ikkaku, please hurry." Yukino groaned, rolling her head against his shoulder. "My spiritual energy is draining. . ."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Probably the shortest chapter I've done, but I wanted to post something, and I just can't concentrate today, because I've been dying to jump into my own personal stories. <em>

_One more chapter coming for Kenpachi and Yukino._

_After that, you can vote for who the next chapters will be about: Komamura, Mayuri, or. . . -drum roll- Retsu, Soi Fon, or even Hitsugaya._

_So be deciding which of those five Captains you'd like to see. _

_I will openly admit to spending more time thinking on the first four. . ._


	8. Kenpachi Zaraki Part 3

Author's Note: I'mmmmm backkkkkkkkk! Convention is over, no more panel research. . .Oh, and here's the big reason I haven't updated. . .My mother loves to check her spam mail, looking at all those 'coupons' that they send. Andddddd. . . Some kind of virus infected the computer, causing me to wipe it clean to save it and thus I lose ALL of what I had typed. I've been too mad to try and type again. . . So, lets give this another try.

AND! A big thank you to: **Les Reves Doux **for poking me and asking if I was alive. This chapter is for you!

Kenpachi and Yukino Part 3

Kenpachi burst into the Squad Four barracks, a near panicked look on his face as he grabbed the nearest Shinigami and slammed him into the wall.

"Where's m' wife?" He snarled.

"Captain Zaraki! Please unhand him!" Lieutenant Isane said, rushing to her squad members defense.

Kenpachi dropped the squad member, who rushed away, terror painted across his face.

"You need to keep calm Captain Zaraki. Captain Unohana is working with her right now. They've already got the baby out, and we're working on saving her." Isane explained gently.

"Wha' do ya mean yer workin' on savin' her?" Kenpachi growled, tensing up. "Wha' happened?"

"Her spiritual energy started to drain fast. We removed the baby because it was causing it. The baby is fine, healthy, and large." Isane said gently, her hand going to her zanpakuto all the same. "If you are calm enough, I am permitted to take you to your wife, as your spiritual energy will be more sorely needed. This problem shouldn't happen again as long as you regularly feed your spiritual energy into her. Captain Unohana is working with Captain Kurotsuchi on finding different ways to transfer energies between the two of you."

Kenpachi stopped and took a deep breath, letting it out through his nose. "All right. Let me see 'er."

Isane led him further away from the room and further back to the more intensive care rooms, stopping briefly to allow Kenpachi to see his son.

"He's so little." Kenpachi growled softly, touching his sons forehead.

Isane gave a soft laugh and began to lead him toward where Yukino was. "Most would say he was big."

When Kenpachi got to Yukino, he was struck by two things: How pale she was, and how absolutely tiny she seemed on a white bed, blood still staining the sheets around her from where they had cut his son from her stomach.

He took her hand, and nearly dropped it as he felt his spiritual energy begin to pull from his body and absorb into hers. "Take as much as ya need, Yukino. Take it all if ya need."

"That shouldn't be completely necessary." Captain Unohana said coming up from behind him with Captain Kurotsuchi in tow. "We've got her stabilized, and with the child out of her, she'll start replenishing her spiritual energy on her own now. A little will help with the healing process though."

"Fascinating stuff." Mayuri muttered, writing down more notes. "Good to know in case something like this happens with my wife."

Retsu and Kenpachi turned toward the painted captain, shocked looks on their faces.

"Congratulations Captain Kurotsuchi." Retsu was the first to recover. "When will I be seeing this lucky woman for a check up?"

"I'm perfectly capable of administering my own check ups." Mayuri snapped.

"It's as much a psychological thing as anything else, Captain Kurotsuchi. Sometimes, women need to talk to other women about things going on in their lives." Retsu explained gently.

"You think I'm abusing my wife?" Mayuri snarled softly, eyes glinting dangerously.

"No." Retsu answered just as softly, pasting her pleasant smile on her face. "There are just things that women prefer to talk to women about, rather than their husbands. We call it 'girl talk'."

Mayuri snorted and turned to Yukino again, eyes roaming over her in a cold fashion before he scribbled down some more notes. "You said she suffered from spiritual energy depletion while she was toward the midway point of her pregnancy? She was tired a lot?"

Retsu nodded to both questions.

"I'm going to safely assume it's the father's fault." Mayuri wrote down some more notes. "You'll need to come to Squad Twelve for some tests to help confirm this, of course."

Kenpachi grunted, but nodded, turning his attention back to Yukino.

"She'll probably wake up in a day or two. It's best that you just let her regain as much of her spiritual energy as possible on her own. Otherwise, her body might become dependent on yours." Retsu told Kenpachi softly.

"Ya said tha' transferring my spiritual energy into 'er would help. It didn't." Kenpachi said flatly.

"You have a lot more spiritual energy than Yukino does. Even if she trained for the rest of her life, nonstop, she wouldn't catch up to you. She's strong, we know, but you will always be stronger. In turn, your child demanded a lot more spiritual energy as it was growing. It's normal. Everyone woman goes through it. Most fathers are used to being around their pregnant wives, and their spiritual energy gets drawn out through simple touches. Most Shinigami never even realize its happening." Retsu explained.

Mayuri stopped his notes for a minute, then began to scribble anew. "I'll take my notes and begin at least working on a way to help the woman keep spiritual energy within her, or find another way to feed it to her future children. Please come to the Squad Twelve barracks as soon as possible, Zaraki."

"Whatever, Clown." Zaraki muttered.

Retsu decided to leave the large captain with his wife, and followed Mayuri out.

* * *

><p>Yukino woke up, her hand immediately tracing a slow path from the bed and up her up, slowly to her stomach. She panicked when she felt the flat skin.<p>

"Shh."

Yukino forced her eyes open, focusing on Kenpachi's face as he reached for her hand, holding it in his large one. "The boy's fine." He told her. "Ya did good."

"He's fine?" She managed to croak, squeezing the large Captain's hand hard, making sure he was real. "Our son. . .We have a son?"

Kenpachi nodded, giving her hand a squeeze back.

"Good! You're awake!" Retsu said as she entered the room. "We've been pumping breast milk from you to feed your son, but as soon as we give a quick checkup, you can breast feed him for the first time."

Yukino nodded and tried to push herself up, but finding she still lacked a lot of her strength. Without a work, Kenpachi slid a arm underneath her shoulders and helped her up into a sitting position, fluffing pillows up behind her.

"Let's get this check up over with. I need to meet my son. . .And name him?" Yukino turned to Kenpachi questioningly.

"I didn't name the brat." Kenpachi grunted.

* * *

><p>Yukino stared in wonder as her son latched onto her nipple, hungrily suckling her breast as Kenpachi watched.<p>

"He's big." Yukino said softly. "No wonder I felt like there was an army in there."

"He's tiny." Kenpachi argued.

Yukino smiled and looked up from the suckling babe, and staring at her husband. "He is little, to us, but compare him to other babies, and he is huge. I think we might have had the largest baby so far in the Seireitei."

Kenpachi grunted, but reached out and touched his son's small hand, amazed when the little fingers curled around his large one. "Wha' are we gonna name 'im?"

"How about. . .Michio? It means, man with the strength of three thousand." Yukino suggested.

"I like it." Kenpachi grinned. "Sounds like my boy!"

Yukino grinned back, returning her gaze to her still suckling son. "My little Michio. He'll be so strong, and make himself someone that the Seireitei will never forget. . . .For good reasons." She said the last while sliding her gaze to Kenpachi. "I want him to have good and proper training Kenpachi. I don't want him taught how to fight by a bunch of thugs. He needs to learn all he can about different fighting styles, proper fighting styles, and kido."

Kenpachi tsked and looked away. "He'll learn enough from me and the others."

"No, he won't. Not everyone can become Captain the way you did Kenpachi. You should want more for your son than what you have." Yukino spoke softly, wishing she could reach out and touch the large captain. "Please think about what I'm saying."

Kenpachi pulled his finger out of his sons grip and walked out of the room, leaving Yukino worrying her lower lip. She wondered if she had somehow hurt her husbands feeling.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi made his way back toward his squad barracks, fuming slightly over what Yukino had said to him. He planned on sending his son to the Shinigami Academy, did she take him for some kind of idiot? He was strong, but he wished he knew kido like some of the other captains. He wished he had a Bankai to call upon. He wanted all these things for his son. What was wrong with him also learning to fight amongst Squad Eleven?<p>

"Captain Zaraki. Mayuri-sama send me to fetch you. He said he would like to run those tests now."

Kenpachi turned to find Nemu standing before him, bowing slightly.

"Whatever. Let's get it over with." Kenpachi muttered, following the Squad Twelve Lieutenant so he could be poked and prodded with needles.

* * *

><p>Yukino bounced Michio on her knee as the baby fussed. The poor little guy had not been feeling well for a while now, and Retsu assured it that it was just because he was teething. Still, the baby always seemed a little bit happier when Kenpachi was around, letting the little guy gum his finger while Kenpachi just sat and talked with Yukino.<p>

Things had been different since he left the hospital that days, months back. He was more distant, in ways, yet he was more affectionate than she had ever seen him. He was always touching her, skin to skin. Rather it was running a hand up and down her arm, or just massaging her neck gently with one hand.

Michio let out a cry, breaking Yukino from her thoughts. "Shh. Daddy will be home soon. I promise. Don't cry." Yukino crooned softly to the little boy.

As if hearing the desperation in her voice, Kenpachi strode through the door and scooped their son out of her arms and held him close to his chest. "What's the fuss lil' man. Givin' ya mom a hard time?"

"He's just a little fussy." Yukino murmured. "Of course, he was fussy all last night too."

"Why didn't ya wake me?" Kenpachi asked, turning to look at her. "I would of set with 'im for a while so ya could get some sleep."

"I know you would have, but you're the Captain of Squad Eleven, and have more important things to do than spend all night up, carrying around a fussy teething baby." Yukino sighed softly. "Besides, Yamichika would give me so much sh- I mean, crap, if you came in, in a bad mood. Lack of sleep does that to people, you know."

"They would of lived." Kenpachi answered back, rocking his son slowly as the little guy began to drift off. "Maybe we should look a' getting a nanny or something. Ya haven't been able to work out or nothing' since we had Michio. Ya are tired all the time and ya looked stressed." Kenpachi suggested.

"I'm his mother and I can-"

"I'm not saying ya are doing a bad job or nothing Yukino. But do ya seriously think tha' the Lieutenant's or Captain's that are female and pregnant are gonna quit and be mom's only? Ya are pretty much my freakin' co-captain. Ya do all the paper work for the squad, and ya have been trying to keep that up on top of dealing with Michio. Ya gonna wear yourself out." Kenpachi told her softly, moving to sit Michio in the cradle that they had in the corner of their room. "Besides, before too much longer, we are gonna have to start thinking 'bout having another one. Ya can't help yer spiritual energy if ya ain't working on building it up again."

Yukino bit at her lower lip, turning away from Kenpachi. "I feel like a failure as a mom. I just can't seem to get it right. I took care of all those kids from the Zaraki district, but I can't handle my own. . ."

"No one said it was ever gonna be easy." Kenpachi murmured, kneeling down in front of her. He tilted her head up, rubbing a thumb across her cheek bone. "Ya are doin' great, I think. Don' worry about it."

Yukino nodded and leaned into Kenpachi's touch, enjoy the brief kiss he pressed to her brow.

"Want me to start lookin' for a nanny tomorrow?" He asked, getting up.

Yukino nodded.

"'Kay. Then I expect ya to begin work outs with the squad as soon as we get one. Ya are lagging behind woman."

Yukino snorted and send an arrogant smirk Kenpachi's way. "Give me a week and I'll be running circles around your men."

Kenpachi chuckled darkly, then leaned down, pressing a hard kiss to her mouth. "I believe it when I see it, woman."

* * *

><p>"So, if you need me, I'll just be in the court yard training. Seriously, if anything is wrong at all, or you think that the breast milk in the fridge smells weird, I can always come in and breast feed him. . ."<p>

"Yukino." Kenpachi cut his wife off, sliding his eyes over to her with a warning look. "Michio will be fine. Get ya ass out to the court yard an' begin ya training woman or ya'll be running lapse till the sun goes down."

Yukino glared at Kenpachi, but gave one last lingering look to the nanny and walked out of the room. It had taken Kenpachi almost a week to find a nanny he liked. Then he made sure the nanny had a room next to the nursery. . .also new. He insisted that the baby be in a different room. He wasn't going to have a woman entering his room that wasn't his wife, or Yachiru.

"Good to know he holds something sacred." Yukino muttered as she made it to the court yard, stopping as she was faced with the near entirety of Squad Eleven.

"The baby finally learn to let go of your teat long enough for you to come play?" One of them joked.

Yukino bared her teeth at him, and without a second thought, leapt on the squad member, punching him square in the nose.

She was satisfied with the crunch sound that followed, and the spurt of blood that splashed up her arm.

"Anyone else want to make a smart remark about my son or myself? Because I've got nearly a year of pent up energy, anger, and hormones to unleash on all of your asses, we clear?" Yukino snarled as Ikkaku lifted her off the near sobbing squad member.

"Someone get him to Squad Four to get him fixed up." Ikkaku ordered as he pushed Yukino toward a training ring. "And if you're that eager to jump into a fight Yukino, let's go."

Yukino took a deep breath through her nose, then let it out through her mouth. She did this a few times before she shook her head no. "Not just yet, Ikkaku. I need to do some stretches and meditate. I haven't talked to my Zanpakuto in a long time."

Ikkaku gave a sharp nod and pointed to a corner of the garden that was cleared out of almost everything except the grass that grew. "Take it over there then."

Yukino gave a mocking salute, smirking at Ikkaku, who smirked back, and made her way to the corner, sitting down to meditate.

* * *

><p>"She broke 'is nose?" Kenpachi smirked as Yamichika relayed the story of Yukino's grand re-entrance to Squad Eleven. "Good for 'er. Make sure he is runnin' laps for the next week. He'll learn quickly not to mess with 'er."<p>

"It will be done, Captain." Yamichika replied, flipping his hair. "Oh, and it seems that most of the squad is in love with Yukino-san. They find her, and her actions, most beautiful."

Kenpachi let out a growl that had his fifth seat smirking. "It's true Captain. They are watching her stretch as we speak."

* * *

><p>Yukino felt like yelling in frustration. Every time she peaked over her shoulder, most of the Squad looked like they were in some kind of trance as they watched her stretching. You would think they would have better things to do. Apparently not though.<p>

As she spread her feet apart and then stretched down to touch her left foot, she heard someone sigh in appreciation. She snapped up, ready to kill whoever did it when Kenpachi burst out of the barracks and rushed his way toward her.

Yukino felt like a deer in the sights of a predator, unable to move to do anything. The next thing she knew, Kenpachi had her pressed against the wall, and his tongue in her mouth. She let out a whimper as her eyes slid closed, and her arms wrapped around her neck.

When he pulled away, and she felt dazed, she felt amusement as he looked over his shoulder and the squad went scurrying away.

"What was that about?" Yukino asked, knowing there was probably some stupid kind of smile on her face.

"They need to find there own woman an' stop lookin' at mine." Kenpachi growled, learning down to nip at her bottom lip.

Yukino smirked and bit his lip a little hard, drawing some blood. "Spar with me some Kenpachi. Ikkaku offered, but now it seems he's busy directing those idiots to do something useful."

"Ya won' beat me." Kenpachi grunted.

"It's not about beating you." Yukino slapped his arm playfully. "It's about getting some practice in. You won't pull your hits just because I'm your wife. You aren't going to try and kill me either. You know my limits as well as I know. So, it will be a good practice for me."

Kenpachi stared into her violet eyes for a minute before he nodded. "Not here though. Don' need those idiots starin' at ya like they got a right."

"Lead on Captain."

Kenpachi grabbed her around the middle and slung her over his shoulder before taking off.

"Put me down you brute! What are people going to say when they see me?" Yukino squealed, laughing all the same.

"Get their faster doin' it my way." Kenpachi answered, but shifting her around until he was holding her in his arms.

Yukino stuck her tongue out at him, but relaxed into the hold. If he was willing to expend some energy getting them there, she wasn't going to stop him. She'd need all the energy she could get to just dodge most of his attacks. During her pregnancy, watching him train had been one of the few things she had enjoyed doing. It got her blood pumping. If she was honest, it got her pretty excited too. Not that any of those urges had been acted on. Until Kenpachi had started sharing his spiritual energy with her, he'd avoided her like the plague.

So lost in thought, it took her a few seconds to realize that Kenpachi had stopped running, and they were in some kind of meadow.

Kenpachi set her on her feet, one arm still wrapped around her shoulders as she looked around.

"It's beautiful here." Yukino told him. "I never got to explore much of the Seireitei since I became pregnant so fast. I'll have to do so soon."

"I come 'ere a lot to jus' think." Kenpachi admitted. "Away from everyone else. Not many come 'ere."

Yukino made a small noise in her throat as she took in all the wild flowers growing around them, swaying gently in the breeze. "You realize that I've been here a year now? Well, over a year, actually. It's so hard to believe it." She said softly. "I never thought I'd be a mother, or be married! Least of all to a Captain of one of the Thirteen Court Squad Guards."

"If it makes any difference, I never thought I'd be married either." Kenpachi murmured. "Had no plans for a woman in my life."

Yukino was quiet for a few moments before she stepped out of Kenpachi's embrace and looked him in the eye. "Be honest with me Kenpachi. When I've given you a second child. . .Are you going to divorce me?"

"Do ya want me to divorce ya?" Kenpachi questioned back.

Yukino looked away, then shook her head. "No."

"Then I have no plans on divorcing ya." Kenpachi answered. "Besides, what do I know on raising a child. That's what ya are here for, woman."

Yukino cracked a grin up at him before reaching up, and punching him square in the jaw.

"Wha' the hell was tha' for?" Kenpachi asked, as she jumped back into a fighting stance.

"Sparring of course. You weren't going to start. So, I figured, ladies first."

Kenpachi growled and lunged for her, missing as she danced out of the way with a throaty chuckle.

"Tell you what, big man. You pin me, and I'll give you a surprise tonight." Yukino tempted.

"Unless its ya naked in my bed, I ain't interested." Kenpachi growled back, moving to grab her again, and missing. He tracked her with his eye, as she continued to dance and weave, making a pattern hard to figure out on her moves.

"Might even be some foreplay involved." Yukino teased.

"For me or ya. Cause I enjoy either one." Kenpachi growled, still tracking her. He tried hard to keep such thoughts out of his mind though, less he lose his focus, or get a raging hard on then and there. Still, the thoughts of his wife splayed out naked before him was still creeping through his brains. "Ya are using trickery woman!"

Yukino chuckled and danced a little closer to Kenpachi, then ducking and turning away as he tried to make a grab at her. "You're never going to catch me at this rate, Kenpachi Zaraki."

* * *

><p>It was a year and a half later before Retsu confirmed Yukino's second pregnancy. She only had about a minute of fretting in her mind before she was giving a pill to take every day that contained small amounts of spiritual energy that Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad Twelve had created. Taking those through her pregnancy, with her own spiritual energy, and Kenpachi sharing his a little daily, would ensure that the baby, and she, would be fine.<p>

"You've already given Kenpachi a son he's proud of showing off. What sex are you hoping the child will be next?" Retsu asked as she scribbled some notes on her clip board.

"I do want a daughter. . .And I told Kenpachi that we weren't going to stop having kids until we had a daughter, since I'm already surrounded by boys." Yukino smirked. "So part of me kind of hopes its another son. I'd like a house full of kids."

"Speaking of kids, I've heard that some of the kids you were taking care of in the Zaraki district are showing some major promise in being Shinigami." Retsu mentioned.

Yukino let a grin slide onto her face. "Yeah. Most of them claim that they're going to join Squad Eleven to be near me, but I'm hoping they'll change their minds. I love them, but some would not work out well in my squad. Actually, I'm hoping a few will take up some healing arts. We have enough fighters in the Seireitei, but never enough good healers it seems."

"I couldn't agree more, Yukino. Well, everything looks normal enough right now. How is Michio, by the way." Retsu pressed on.

"Oh, you know. Bumps, bruises, and scrapped knees. He's learning already how to hold a sword, wooden, but he'll be kicking others kids around the school yard soon enough, I'm sure." Yukino laughed. "Just the other day, one of the squad members tried to make him get out of the training yard by saying, 'Go play somewhere else, or go cry to mommy. The big boys have to practice now.'"

"Oh dear. . ." Retsu sighed, but a small smile turning up the corner of her lips.

"Oh yes. Michio took his little wood sword and began hitting the guy as hard as he could in the knees and ankles. The guy was hopping around, trying to shield himself, but to no use. No one was going to stop Captain Zaraki's son from meting out due justice!"

The two women laughed for a few minutes, the image of little Michio with his spiky auburn hair and grey eyes, charging forward to punish his 'evil doer'.

"How goes your own married life and pregnancy?" Yukino asked, motioning toward Retsu's small rounded stomach. "Iwao seems like a good man."

"He is." Retsu agreed, with a smile.

As if the mention of their two husbands summoned them, a Squad Four and Squad Eleven member burst into the room,

"We've very sorry Captain Unohana, Co-Captain Zaraki, but your husbands are fighting again." They both managed to get out.

Yukino rolled her eyes and got up off the examination table. "I swear, my husband just has it out for yours."

"Iwao is a large man. Not many get to Kenpachi, Iwao, and Takeshi's height." Retsu said, putting down her clip board to follow the other woman out.

"Let's just be happy that there aren't others that are Komamura's size." Yukino smirked. "Then we'd have half of the Seireitei always under some kind of repair."

The two women continued on at their slow pace, talking as they headed toward the Squad Eleven barracks where the fight seemed to be going in full swing.

Once the women rounded the corner, both seemed to take a minute to appreciate their husbands in their full glory.

Both were covered in sweat, blood, dirt, and their clothes in different types of disarray.

"What's going on?" Retsu finally said at last, her soft voice carrying over all the cheers of the Squad Eleven members.

Kenpachi and Iwao both stopped, looking at their wives.

Kenpachi was the first to sheath his sword, approaching Yukino.

"So?" He asked, looking pointedly at her stomach.

"I'm pregnant." Yukino grinned.

Kenpachi gave a bark of laughter before picking her up in a bear hug that wasn't too tight.

"Congratulations!" Cheers went up from Squad Eleven.

"Let's go home Iwao." Retsu said, holding out her hand to her large husband. The stoic man took up his wives hand, giving a small ball to Yukino, and exited the Squad Eleven courtyard.

* * *

><p><strong>96 years later<strong>

Michio sighed as he heard a crash from his parents bedroom again. He scooped up the books his mother had asked for him to deliver to Masami Kawaguchi-Byakuya. Ever since the two women had met, and Masami had mentioned a slight interest in learning self defense, the women had been sharing letters back and forth or meeting for lunch.

Michio had accompanied his mother a time or two, and that was how he had met Kimiko, the eldest child of Byakuya Kuchiki and Masami's heir to the Kawaguchi empire. The girl had been beautiful with her black hair and amber eyes. She had been dressed as elegantly as her mother, but there was no mistaking the muscle tone she held in the lithe body.

Michio headed out, knowing soon enough his parents would start the 'make-up' process and he didn't want to be around. The two fought like cats and dogs on any given day, but everyone could see that his parents loved each other. . .even if they never said those words aloud.

The walk to the Kuchiki mansion was quick and quiet. The servants letting him have entrance immediately, as Masami had ordered them to do so.

Michio walked back into the family's private court yard where Byakuya trained his children.

Masami noticed him immediately.

"My mother wanted me to bring these to you and your daughters. She said they helped her learn hand to hand combat, and is meant to be learned by women." Michio said as he handed the books off to her.

"Tell your mother thank you, Michio." Masami smiled up at him. "I'm afraid Byakuya is home for the day, so you don't really have time to spend with Kimiko today. . .However, you could always challenge her to a friendly match." Masami whispered.

Michio smiled and glanced to Kimiko who was watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Maybe another time. I just needed to see her face and get out of the house. You know how mom and dad get."

Masami nodded softly and reached up to squeeze his massive hand. "You are always welcome here."

"Like Hell." Byakuya muttered, walking up.

Michio stiffened but held Byakuya's gaze, going as far as to smirk in the Captain's face. "Dad told me to tell the pretty boy Captain hello." Michio teased as he turned to leave. "Enjoy those books Masami!"

"Thank you Michio!" Masami called back.

Michio lifted his hand in acknowledgement, but continued on his journey out. Part of him was angry at himself for letting himself bait Captain Byakuya. After all, he planned on courting his daughter soon enough. The other part of him though, patted himself on the back for not letting himself get cowed by the Captain's presence.

He sighed and looked toward the direction of the Squad Eleven barracks but shrugged. He wasn't ready to go home just yet. With that in mind, he headed toward the closest exit out of the Seireitei as he could find. He'd kill some time in the Zaraki district.

He ran a hand through his long auburn hair, styled much like his father's was. . . Yeah, the Zaraki district would have to do.

END

* * *

><p>Author's Note: YAY! That's the end of Kenpachi and Yukino's story! It felt right to end it on a note with their son rather than the couple themselves. . .Hmm. . .I myself and quite taken with Michio. . .-drools-<p>

It seems like Mayuri has the most votes, with Komamura next, then Shunsui, Hitsugaya, and Joshiro tied after that. . . -grins-


	9. Mayuri Kurotsuchi Part 1

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW. . .FOOD FOR AUTHORS. . . ^_^

Also don't forget to vote for who you'd like next. Seems like Komamura is the next most popular Captain. I might add that at this point, I have most of the OC's created in my own little crazy head, and thus almost every Captain and Lieutenant is ready to go. So, vote away.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi- Part 1

Mayuri arrived back at his lab, a snarl curled into his lips, and anger apparent in ever step. Even Nemu knew better than to both him at the moment.

'Damn that old man.' Mayuri thought bitterly. 'I have no need of a wife. No need for such base functions, and now I have to conceive a child. . .No, not one, two! Two biological children! I don't even think there's a woman worthy enough of such an honor!. . .Or physically capable. . .'

He slammed open the door to his office, uncaring of the damage he did to it, and the wall it slammed into and through.

He slumped into his seat and glanced at the piles of paper work there. New recruits straight out of the Shinigami Academy trying to find positions within his Squad. On top of that though, was a letter he had received just moments before he had been called to meet with Captain Yamamoto.

He flipped it over, pursing his lips slightly at seeing no name, return address, or anything else. With his long nail, he cut open the envelope and pulled out the letter, scanning the contents.

"Dear Captain Kurotsuchi," He muttered, "I'm an avid reader of the science journal you put out, and couldn't help but notice that you made a mistake. . ." His eyes grew wide as he screeched in outrage. "A mistake! ME!"

He continued to read on, the author of the message having pointed out what mistake me made, the correction, and even suggested another method which actually might prove beneficial to the medicinal aspect of it. They also included the clip of what he had messed up on, underlining the passage.

He gritted his teeth until he thought they would crack. The author of the note had not signed it. Worse, they had the gall to add a few ideas of what he could change to improve his formula!

"NEMU!" He snarled, knowing his Lieutenant would be in the office in just a minute or less.

"Yes Mayuri-sama?" His Lieutenant asked as she entered his office.

"Find out who sent this note! I want names, and then I will be paying them a personal visit." He snarled, chucking the note at her.

She caught it easily then bowed her way out of the office.

* * *

><p>Nozomi Koizumi set at her desk in her little apartment writing down all ideas that flowed through. Cures, poisons, ideas to explore, all in one thickly bound notebook that she took with her everywhere. Until she had a lab she could work within, this was all she could do for now. It had been nearly a year ago that she had submitted her application to enter Squad Twelve. Nearly a year of waiting. . .of trying not to lose hope.<p>

Desperate to somehow draw the attention of the Squad Twelve Captain, she had nearly wept in joy when she noticed a small mistake in the Science and Medical Journal. Still though, once she had written the note, she didn't have the guts to sign her name.

She regretted it now. Her one chance might had slipped through her fingers. Still though, it was enough that she had bested the Captain, even if it was a careless mistake.

She shook her head and sighed.

Money was getting tight, and the school wasn't going to pay for her little apartment forever. Sooner or later, she'd have to make a choice. Join another squad, or leave. If Squad Twelve didn't accept her, she would put in an application for Squad Four. She had medical expertise, though she would always fall more into the medical science category.

She removed her glasses and rubbed her temples, groaning softly in pain at the migraine that was threatening to form. There was little she could do to stop the headaches anymore, and could only ride out the pain.

The insistent knocking that started at her door didn't help either.

Nozomi forced herself to her feet and stumbled her way toward the door, opening it a bare inch. "May I help you?" Her eyes widened when she found herself staring into the golden eyes of one, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

* * *

><p>Mayuri was surprised at the woman who answered the door to the second rate apartment. Behind her, he could tell that she kept the place clean, but it did nothing to hide the fact that the wallpaper was peeling, the floors were cracked and stained, and their were water spots on the ceiling.<p>

She had small indentions at the top of her nose on both sides, telling him that she wore glasses. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a tight pony tail and her eyes were a dark green, nearly giving way to black. She was nearly as tall as him, stopping about two inches below him. THAT annoyed him.

She opened the door wider to him. "How may I help you Captain Kurotsuchi?" She asked, stepping aside to allow him entrance.

He walked in, examining more of the apartment. Piles of his Science and Medical Journals were stacked neatly on a book shelf that was piled full of thick medical and science books, as well as notebooks that she had obviously made notes though.

"You wrote me a letter." He began, picking up one of his journals. "And you didn't sign it. Why is that?"

He watched her swallow slightly before she lifted her head. "Honestly, at first I wanted to do it as a way to get your attention. I hoped that getting your attention would help me get into Squad Twelve. In the end though, I was too scared to sign it. I figured just. . .I don't know, proving your wrong would be enough to make me feel better. . .about waiting so long, that is."

He smiled, and it wasn't pleasant. "You caught my attention."

"As I can see, you are here." She commented. "Tea?"

"I won't be staying long enough for it." Mayuri said lightly, putting the journal back and continuing to explore. "I have you know that there are still no openings in Squad Twelve."

"So you came here to let me know that you got my letter, traced it back to me, and what?" She asked, a frown creasing her face.

Mayuri allowed his eyes to travel over her, the real her. When Nemu had brought him her file along with her petition to join Squad Twelve, he had been surprised it was a woman at all. The writing was non-descript. Neither feminine, nor masculine. But staring into the picture, a plan had entered his mind. A punishment better than any form of torture, he thought.

"I find myself in need of a wife." He told her.

Her look of shock couldn't be missed. Her mouth was slack, her eyes wide, and her face pale, losing its peaches and cream tone. "Wha. . .I don't understand. . ."

"I am required to marry and have two children. You will do. I've looked over your medical files, the papers you submitted to me, as well as your transcripts from the academy. You'll do." He explained, waving a hand about.

"I'll do? I'll DO? Who do you think you are? Blackmailing me into marrying you?" She snarled.

"I am not blackmailing you at all. I am simply letting you know that you'll get into Squad Twelve no other way. No openings at all." Mayuri grinned. "However, if you were to marry me, you would have more lab access than most other squad members. Access to more dangerous chemicals, better machinery, and test subjects."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her considering it. She licked her lips, the darted her eyes around the small apartment.

"You'd live in the Squad Twelve barracks, and if you chose to divorce me afterwards, I would permit you to stay on. . ." He sweetened the deal.

"What if I have stipulations?" She asked, her chin coming up again, challenging.

"What could you possibly want or need?" Mayuri asked, annoyed.

"We share a room. I'm not going to be just a brood mare to you. If I have to marry you, it would be a true of a marriage as possible." She began. "And I know you have modified yourself. There will be no modifications on the children, at all. I want this all in writing."

"Fine." Mayuri said through clenched teeth.

"And. . .you will not hound me about what I am working on. What I choose to study and explore is my business and mine alone. My staff will be briefed, of course. . ."

"Staff?" Mayuri snarled.

"You did say I would have more privileges. I just assumed that. . .Sorry." She stammered.

"Fine. Your own staff. I'll give you your own lab, not experiment on the kids, not pester your about your studies, and share a room with you." Mayuri said through clenched teeth. "Is that all?"

"How soon will I be moved?" She asked. "I need to pack up. . ."

"Bring the important stuff you can carry now. I'll send some squad members to get the rest tomorrow. We will go before Captain Yamamoto and marry immediately. The sooner its over with, the better." Mayuri snapped.

She bit her lip, then picked up the glasses he had failed to notice on the table. She placed them on her face, pushing them gently up her nose, before grabbing a bag and shoving her tomes of notes in it. She grabbed a few articles of clothing, toiletries, and she was ready to go.

* * *

><p>Nozomi set in Mayuri's large bed. He had went into the bathroom as soon as they got back, telling her she had better be naked when he got out. Currently, she set on top of the blankets, fully clothed, feeling her heart in her throat.<p>

She let a whimper escape her throat as she heard the shower shut off, but quickly got out of her clothes and slid under the blankets on the bed.

Moments later, he came out, no longer covered in makeup, long blue hair trailing over his shoulders and a towel wrapped around his waist.

Instantly, she felt her tongue swell and her throat go dry. Who would have thought that such a handsome man was hidden underneath all that paint and baggy clothes.

"Are you done staring?" He snapped.

"I. . ." She swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry. You're just very handsome."

He let out a 'tch' and moved toward the bed, getting up on it, all while keeping the towel around his waist.

She returned to looking at him, now that he was closer. His body was covered in scars, some made by scalpel, some from battle.

"Are you a virgin?" He asked suddenly.

Nozomi felt heat flood her face as her eyes met his again. "N. . .no." She stuttered. "However, I know next to nothing about sex and pleasure. The experience I had was . . .um, less than enjoyable."

Mayuri reached out, pushing the blankets down to around her waist, leaving her breasts bare for his view. "You take excellent care of your body."

"We can learn much about the body from just studying our own." Nozomi murmured, heat crawling up her face.

He moved forward slightly, until his lips touched hers, his tongue sliding along the seam easily. She opened her mouth for him, and his tongue invaded like a charging army, taking full control and kissing her like it might be his last.

She briefly wondered how he became such a good kisser. Had he had many lovers? A string of women that she would never know about?

When he pulled away, something gleamed in his eyes. He watched the rise and fall of her chest for a few moments before he trailed a cold finger over her nipple.

Nozomi gasped again as he began to play with her breasts firmly, but gently. Nothing like her first time. That _boy_ had treated her breast like they were melons he was checking for ripeness. Not Mayuri though, not this _man_. She was well relaxed be the time he had shoved the rest of the blankets away, and slid a finger up the inside of her thighs. With his other hand, he gently spread her legs, then he slid a single finger inside of her.

"Tight." He murmured, before nipping at her ear.

Nozomi worked up the courage to slip her hand up beneath his towel and grasped his hardness. She shrieked and let go, jumping back from him and staring at the tent in his towel like it housed a Hollow.

"You even upped the size of your penis when you made modifications to yourself?" She asked, horrified at what she had felt.

Mayuri removed his towel, revealing a cock that must have been nine inches at least, and thicker than her wrist was around. "I have never improved anything about my 'penis'. Until this, I had no reason to use it for anything other than pissing."

Nozomi felt her eyes widened as she met his, then looked back down. "That's its natural size?" She swallowed thickly, suddenly thinking the past sexual experience might turn out to be there better. She would surely be hurting after this.

Mayuri tilted his head at her slightly, then returned his fingers to her body, moving them within her, curling them, seeking her sweet spot. "Don't worry, you'll be prepared thoroughly."

Once he had her in her first orgasm, and it was her first, he slid her down until she laid back on the bed, and placed his mouth where his fingers had previously been.

She gasped, moaned, and sighed her way into her second orgasm. Still though, he didn't stop.

Again and again, he brought her to orgasm until her body felt to heavy to move. It was then that he raised himself above her and began to push himself inside.

Eye to eye, Nozomi knew that the intimacy of that moment was terrifying.

Mayuri's lips descended on hers again as he began to move within her, beginning his final assault on her body.

When he came, she went with him, wrapping her legs about his body and crying her pleasure against his lips.

After that, he pulled out and got up.

Nozomi raised the blankets over her naked body, watching as he walked naked to the bathroom and stepped inside. She bit her lip, afraid that he was going to leave. Her second sexual encounter was so amazing, but the man who gave it to her was as cold as the steel a scalpel was made from. He could be just as cutting too.

Mayuri came back out of the bathroom though with a wash cloth in hand, and began to gently clean her body though, after he moved the blankets off of her again.

"Why do you paint your body up?" Nozomi asked when the silence became too much to bare. "You are a highly attractive man, but you. . .it's like a war paint, meant to frighten."

"People put to much stock in appearance. If I didn't paint my face, women would more than likely spend their time gawking at me rather than doing their jobs. And despite my face being 'nice', I am not a nice person. I don't pretend to be. The paint reminds them of that, as well as ensures that people don't get too close." Mayuri answered, gently running the damp cloth over her sensitive womanhood.

"I think you're nice though. . .I mean, you were during this. You made this wedding night wonderful, when I have dreaded it from the moment I said yes." Nozomi murmured.

Mayuri let out a 'tch' again and tossed the wash cloth over his shoulder once he had cleaned himself off. He slid the blankets back over her before climbing under them with her, laying with just scant inches between them.

"I won't be this way out there." He told her, as her eyes began to drift down.

"I know." She murmured, letting sleep claim her.

* * *

><p>Nozomi woke up the next morning to find Mayuri gone, and a young woman about her age entering the room with a stack of clothes in her hand.<p>

"I am sorry Mistress. Mayuri-sama bade me to bring clothes for you. I am sorry to wake you. If you would like to shower and dress, I can have some breakfast brought to you, then I am to show you to your private labs."

"It's okay, I need to get up anyways. What time is it?" Nozomi asked, sitting up, holding the sheet to her chest.

"It's nearly ten o'clock Mistress." the girl answered.

Nozomi felt her eyes widen. "Ten o'clock? Why did Mayuri let me sleep in so long?" She gasped. "And please, don't call me Mistress. My name is Nozomi."

"Nozomi-san, my name is Nemu. Pleased to meet you. I am the Lieutenant of Squad Twelve." The girl bowed.

Nozomi climbed from the bed and made her way toward the bathroom, taking the sheet with her. She wasn't comfortable with just walking naked into the bathroom with Mayuri's second in command just standing there.

"I will leave the clothes here."

Nozomi jumped, not realizing that Nemu had followed her in. The Lieutenant set the clothes on the counter and bowed her way out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Nozomi quickly locked it, then dropped the towel, spotting the shower on the far side of the bathroom. First, though, she was going to use the restroom.

She made her way to the toilet, setting down, and began to pee. It hurt.

She jumped and screamed when the bathroom door flew open, revealing Mayuri.

Her face flooded in embarrassment as the pee continued to trickle out of her until her bladder was empty.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's a normal body function." He said, waving a hand toward her. He walked over to her and knelt down, holding out a small container with some kind of balm. "Are you in pain?"

"A little." She admitted.

He nodded and opened the lid, motioning for her to stand.

Nozomi felt embarrassment flood her face again as she quickly wiped, flushed, and stood up in front of him. With a tap of his finger on her left knee, she spread her legs slightly for him. The first touch of the cool balm caused her to give surprised yelp. He worked his fingers around her opening first, before adding more balm and gently sliding his fingers in.

"This will only take minutes to fully heal any damage I might have done last night." He told her, pulling his fingers out. "It also. . .will increase your fertility. The sooner you are pregnant, the better."

"Oh. . ." She found herself saying, looking away uncomfortably. As he prodded around her womanhood, the pain slowly left, and she found herself breathing a little easier without the discomfort. "I'd be interested in knowing what you put in that formula. It works amazingly well. . ."

"Maybe later." He replied. Then he was gone, and she was alone again.

Author's Note: Thought I would post at least what I had done. I've been so busy with convention work, that I haven't really had time to work on Repopulating.

And on that note: If you are in or around the Fort Smith, Arkansas area. . .I will be hosting a fanfiction panel at a convention called Konsplosion! You can visit the website at: www dot KONSPLOSION dot com

You don't have to caps that. . .my computer kept auto correcting that to concussion. . .-facedesk-

It would be awesome to see you there. . .

Did I mention I would be doing an 18+ panel too on lemons. . .-cough- I'll be doing that too.

See me, please? ^_~


	10. Mayuri Kurotsuchi Part 2

Author's Note: Did you think I died? It's been a while, and sadly, my family situation didn't get any better. But here I am, update this story finally!

Mayuri Kurotsuchi Part 2-

Nozomi was walking around her new lab, mouth slightly parted in awe. Mayuri had ensured she had gotten everything she might have needed, and then some. The place was sterile, all tools and instruments clean and new. She ran her hand over a scalpel, and then walked to the microscopes and smiled softly.

She could begin working on a cure immediately. For whatever she wished. And with the staff Mayuri had sent her, she could work on several things.

She turned and faced them ten men and women assembled. "I'm going to split you into two teams. One team will be working on a project with me, and the other will be working on something else. I'm going to get you guys started tomorrow. Right now though, I want you all to take stock of what we have, see if you think maybe we are lacking in anything, and make a list for me. Go."

The team got to work, while she walked back to the office set up in the back corner. She left the door opened as she walked in, surprised to see all her research notes stacked neatly on her desk.

She took a seat in the plush leather chair before grabbing her oldest notebook, and pulling out the lose notes in it. She had been making notes about cures for a genetic disease for a while; One that caused headaches, sometimes loss of sight, and, after a time- death. Her mother had died from it, her older sister, and now she had been having symptoms for going on five years. So far, it had just been headaches, the occasional slightly blurred sight. It had started that way with her mother and sister too. She knew that within three years, she ran a risk of being blind.

This was her only chance. If she failed, then she would have at least have laid the ground work for Mayuri. If their children had the disease, then he could cure it. Of that, she had no doubt.

She rubbed her head, feeling a headache already forming.

* * *

><p>Mayuri watched the screens as Nozomi walked around her lab. Yeah, she might be mad to figure out he had cameras everywhere, but he couldn't see anything as far as what they were really working on. It was just to keep an eye on the girl. . . At least, that was what he was telling himself.<p>

He watched her progress around the lab, watched her give orders to the staff, and then disappear into her office.

She picked out some notes and glanced over them, all the while, rubbing at her head with a pained expression.

Mayuri cocked his head to the side. She did that a lot, rubbed her head, especially around the temple area. He wondered if she even realized she did it as much as she did. Not even married for a full twenty-four hours, and he had picked up on it.

He leaned back in his chair, sliding his eyes to Nemu who stood silently beside him. "Befriend her. I don't want to know what she is working on- but I do want to know why she is getting these. . .stress headaches."

"Of course, Mayuri-sama." Nemu said, bowing, and then walking out.

Mayuri turned his attention back to the screen, watching as Nozomi began to dig through her other notebooks, pulling out more notes.

Things would be interesting with her around, he decided. He was more interested in seeing what she would do for the scientific and medical community.

* * *

><p>Nozomi pulled out some other notes for the second team. It was a simple little idea to help people with food allergies. She believed she could find a serum that could cure most people of their allergies. The more deadly ones, that is. A few sniffle and sneezes people could live with- not that she wouldn't eventually get around to helping those with that problem too. People who could die though. . .they deserved to be helped first.<p>

She had so many ideas for medicines and procedures that could save lives. . .First though, she needed hers saved. It was selfish of her. . .But she couldn't help it. She didn't want to be like her mother and sister. She didn't want to die, laid up in bed, blind, and in so much pain that could couldn't even move. Her family had wasted away, soiled themselves and their beds, not eaten, and eventually, died in horrible agony.

She had researched so much into it- but without a lab, she couldn't do anything.

After her sister's death, she had examined her sister. She had hated doing it, but she needed to see if there was a logical explanation. A tumor perhaps, something cancerous? In the end, the answer was no. Further tests have proven it might be in the blood. Using the schools medical life and mediocre supplies, she determined that it was in fact- genetic.

Nozomi reached up and pushed hard on her temples as a wave a pain washed though her head, causing her eyes sight to blur. She was entering the next stages. She had known for months- being laid up in bed for three days with a blinding migraine would do that. . .She stumbled up, knocking back her chair and trying to reach the door before her eyes sight completely blurred out.

She stumbled and fell, her shoulder slamming painfully into the door jam.

"Are you okay Kurotsuchi-san?" She heard as one of the lab staff ran to her. She could hear them all approaching now.

Change of plans." She gasped as a new wave settled over her. "There are some notes on my desk. Find the ones about the genetic headaches. Begin work immediately, all of you. Someone get me-"

"What's going on here?" Mayuri's voice cut in.

Nozomi swung her head to where she heard his voice. His blurry figure approached and knelt before her.

"You aren't supposed to be here." She murmured.

"Well, when someone comes running to my lab to tell me my wife has collapsed and isn't tracking where they are. . .It seemed worth checking out."

He shined a light into her right eye, and stars exploded. She blacked out.

* * *

><p>Mayuri caught Nozomi and lifted her off the ground. With a glance around he snarled, "Don't you have something better to be doing?"<p>

The lab staff ran around for a moment, before gathering around a bunch of notes that Nozomi had probably gave them.

He carried her out of the lab and to their bedroom. He immediately drew the blinds, making the room pitch black.

"Nemu!" He yelled, immediately regretting it when Nozomi let out a pained whimper even in her passed out state.

His second-in-command appeared only moments later. "I need a full medical history on her entire family. And I want to know what she's working on, promise or not. Something is wrong, and if it affects her ability to have children, that old man will be riding me until I find another. This current situation suits me just fine."

Nemu bowed and disappeared.

Mayuri watched her thoughtfully for a few moments before disappearing into the bathroom and coming back with a cool rag. He laid it on her forehead then began to carefully undo her clothing, making her more comfortable.

He was about to leave her, when he turned back, pulled out a syringe, and took a blood sample from her.

"Tch. You seem like you are going to be more trouble than you are worth." Mayuri muttered, capping the needle and placing in a hidden pocket of his robe.

* * *

><p>It took Nozomi two days to make it out of bed. The first thing she did was shower. It took only five minutes of standing under the hot spray before Mayuri joined her.<p>

"What are you doing?" Nozomi asked, attempting to cover herself.

"Tch, I've seen it all already and more so with my monitoring of your vital signs these past two days." Mayuri muttered, pulling her hands down. "As for what I am doing, we haven't had the chance to attempt to reproduce in two days, as you've been unconscious. I've could have done my part of it, but Nemu seems to think that would have been wrong."

"She is right. It would have been wrong. And why do you have to make it sound so clinical and like a chore?" Nozomi snapped, trying to fight against his tight grip.

"Would you prefer I just walk up and say that I'm going to fuck you?" Mayuri asked, pushing her back against the cool tile wall, sliding forcing one of his legs between hers.

Nozomi sighed when he buried his face in her neck, nipping at her skin, and sucking on it lightly in other places.

She gave up fighting, and his hands released her arms to cup the back of her neck, and a breast. He moved his thumb back and forth slowly, bringing her nipple to a hard peak. His mouth trailed down, taking it into his mouth.

Nozomi let out a soft keening moan, as he released her neck and down trailed that hand, cupping her womanhood.

He released her nipple with a wet pop. "You are already getting wet." A finger slid into her just barely; Teasing and nothing more.

Nozomi felt head flush up her face at his words, but couldn't bring herself to stop the slow torture he was putting her through.

She clutched at his shoulders as he continued his assault, slowly preparing her body for his. Her legs shook badly, feeling weak from the two days of sleep and lack of food. But she wouldn't . . . no, she couldn't stop this. Not for anything.

"Of course I am." She panted. "You seem to know your way around my body already."

Mayuri simply glanced up at her and resumed his ministrations. "I need only to do something once to know all of its secrets,"

His mouth brushed over her stomach, then navel, and finally, found its way down to her secret place. His tongue replaces his fingers and Nozomi could do little but thread her fingers through his hair and hold on. In no time, he had her panting and begging for release.

He stopped, and smirked at her, before moving up her body and sheathing himself in once solid thrust. Nozomi felt her breath leave her in a rush as he filled her so completely. As he withdrew, sweat already beginning to form at his temples, she managed to gasp in a breath. She felt like she'd never get used to the sex. She'd always feel sore the next day, deliciously so, but still sore. She'd never stretch to accommodate him the way some girls did after a while. She'd always need preparation, always need time. There would never be a quickie for them. Well, unless she wanted to bleed and cry in pain.

His pace was picking up, announcing that he would soon come within her. She knew her peak was close too. She angled her hips and met his thrusts. Moments later, he grunted, spilling inside of her, and triggering her own release.

She cried out his name, shuddering, and clinging to him.

By the time she stopped shaking, the water had cooled some. Mayuri released her then, and left. Nozomi stared at the place he had been moments before, and wrapped her arms around herself. Without even trying, the man could make you realize how alone you were in the world. No soft spoken words and no professions of love- Clinical; that was Mayuri.

She shook herself and resumed her shower, getting out just as the water had turned icy. She wrapped herself in a towel and returned to the bedroom. Mayuri had already dressed and vacated it too. Huffing softly to herself, she dropped her towel and walked to the dresser for a change of clothes. Dressing quickly, she returned to the bathroom, picking up the towel on the way, and put it in the dirty clothes hamper. There, she ran a brush through her wet locks and did a quick and efficient bun.

She had lazed about enough. It was time to get back to work and find a cure for herself. With a glance around the bedroom one last time, she shut the door and headed down for her lap. Hopefully her scientists had found something to occupy her time.

* * *

><p>Mayuri scanned over the notes he had copied from Nozomi's science journals. Detailed very carefully was a disease he himself had yet to come across. And if he had a good guess, and face it, he was never wrong- His wife suffered from it. Crippling headaches that would eventually lead to her going blind, being unable to eat, function, and she would waste away to nothing.<p>

Nozomi had detailed every stage of the disease from watching her mother and sister waste away from it. She had talked to every person that attended her family during that time, and listed every cure that had been tried. Some had helped a little, and she made notations on those, others did nothing, and in one case, caused bleeding. Nozomi was methodical in everything she did, it seemed. She had a path she was attempting to take, but until she got into his squad, had no ways of pursuing it.

Mayuri sobered with the realization that if Nozomi had never written that letter to him, she would have wasted away in that little dingy apartment he had found her in. That might have been . . . unfortunate. All those brilliant ideas he had found in her journals while she had slept the better of two days away. She had built on ideas of him, improved some, or even had questions about how you could make completely new components by changing only one ingredient. His brilliant little wife . . . And if she hadn't angered him, she might be alone and dying.

Mayuri snarled silently and slammed the thick folder shut, and shoved the notes in his desk, out of sight. His interlaced his fingers and stared into the dim darkness that surrounded his desk. One small light illuminated a small area on his desk. In that small circle, set a picture he had taken out of her personal file. Nozomi was slightly younger in the picture, not wearing her glasses, and her hair was only shoulder length. In her academy uniform, she seemed nearly like a stranger. But that familiar intelligent spark was there in her eyes, and it was enough for him. He would never demean himself by asking for a picture of her.

A knock on his office door had him raising his eyes to it, but he was uninterested in talking to anyone. The knock came again, but he ignored it, instead letting his eyes slide down back to the photo of Nozomi. Maybe he could get Nemu to get a photo of her somehow. Not like she hadn't tried snapping pictures of other Captain's in her club she was in.

The door opened suddenly, causing Mayuri's head to snap up, snarl in place to tell off whoever dared enter his office. The insult died on his lips as he took in his wives form.

"Did you need something?" He asked, instead.

"My scientists said that you've been keeping them busy and on task. They also told me that you apparently have some of my notes copied. I'd like them back. Otherwise, you are breaking your word to me. You are not supposed to have any knowledge or inkling as to what I'm working on." Nozomi said- her shoulders tense as she met his gaze steadily.

Mayuri let his eyes slip down to her lips for just a moment before he went back to gazing at her photo on his desk. "No."

His eyes slipped back up in time to take her lips parting in surprise and her eyes widening behind her glasses frames. He cocked his head at her, knowing he was being just a dick, but not caring. It might be breaking a promise he made to her, but she also went into this marriage without telling him how unwell she was. That was a problem.

"You gave your word!" Nozomi sputtered, staring to come a little further into the office. She stopped when Mayuri raised a hand, signaling for her to do so.

"You have a disease. One that is unmapped except for what you have written down in your notes. It has killed members of your family, and you suffer as well. It cripples for you at days at a time, and might possibly pose a problem in our trying to get your pregnant. You are sick, and I am also having my team look for a cure. Both teams will actively seek out a cure. But even if mine finds one before yours, if you find it, or I find it, you get all the glory. All your research has led to this. You should be happy for the help, not getting angry at me for helping my wife! I have taken a few of your ideas and put them into tests. I have added a few more of my ideas to the notes I have. You should be grateful." Mayuri spoke softly, but by the end, his voice had picked up a little volume.

He watched Nozomi take a step back, leaning her back against the frame of his office door. She was shaken slightly, obviously a little off put by his small speech. She reached up and removed her glasses, letting her hand fall back down to her side.

"So, if I give you some ideas I have not written down, will you let me pick at that genius brain of yours?" She said it casually, but the spark in her eyes told him a different story suddenly. She wasn't shaking in fear . . . She was aroused. He watched as her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

He knew that sex could be had for just pleasure, not just a means to reproduce. Suddenly, he found himself thinking that sex wasn't such a bad thing after all. Not a chore. And as much as he wanted to take his wife on his office floor, he reined himself in and met her gaze. "Of course you can. We will discuss it all later tonight. Until then, I'm sure you have things you can be working on, as I have things I need to work on. Nozomi."

* * *

><p>Nozomi knew a dismissal when she heard one. She gave a curt nod to Mayuri and left. Whatever he had been thinking about must have been big. She had no doubt that he knew what she would have wanted . . . Well, had he permitted it to happen. But Mayuri was clinical- she had to keep reminding herself that.<p>

She gave herself a good shake and made her way back down to her lab. Her team was busy at work, pouring over notes, batches of medicine that had helped relieve some of the symptoms of her mom and sister. Until a cure was found, she could at least buy herself some time. Even if she didn't cure herself, no one else would hopefully have to suffer. And, with the medicines that had helped thus far, she might live long enough to give Mayuri his two required heirs. Then, he'd be free of it all. They couldn't force him to re-marry. And he'd have plenty of time to find cures for their children if they ended up with the disease.

She began to walk around, talking to the scientists, giving them tips if she thought they needed it, or asked for it, and overall, she just checked up on progress. Things were going well. With such a well assembled team, she had hope for the first time, in a long time.

She made her way to her office and sat down, opening one of her journals and pouring over her notes. She jotted some new ideas down for her team to work on, some possible leads. Then, she took another piece of paper and tore it out, writing down some things to discuss with Mayuri. He was the only one she'd trust with such risky things or ideas. Anyone else would try and talk her down. He would be willing to attempt something more dangerous. More importantly, he knew most medicines better than anyone else. He'd be able to tell her the success rate before they even tried it. Might cut out precious time, and possibly keep her from hospitalizing herself.

* * *

><p>The day seemed to drag on, and Nozomi waited for Mayuri in their bedroom. In her lap, she had her book of notes, waiting for him to arrive so they could discuss a few things. She nervously scanned over her notes, making sure everything was in a neat, precise order, and she hadn't made any mistakes. He might very well tear her apart for a mistake. Mostly because she suspected he was the vindictive sort, and he really hadn't paid her back for the letter she sent him. A smirk tugged its way to her lips just as her husband walked in.<p>

"What are you smiling at?" He snarled, shoving off his clothes and heading to the shower.

Nozomi let the small smirk drop from her lips as she took a deep breath through her nose and let it out via mouth. _That,_ she wasn't expecting. Whatever happened between the time she left his office and now? She pursed her lips as the shower started up. Her fingers picked at the edges of her notes, bending the edges slightly.

A few minutes later, and trying to fruitlessly smooth back out the bent edges of her notebook, Mayuri stepped out of the bathroom naked.

Nozomi tongue slid over her lips in response, and Mayuri's lip curled up slightly in response. "You wanted to pick my brain?"

"I. . .uh, yeah. I did say that, didn't I?" Nozomi glanced down at her notes, trying to make sense of the words. "I have some stuff written down if you'd like to read over them and tell me what you think?"

Mayuri joined her up on the bed, but tossed her notes aside. "You are aroused." He hissed into her ear, running his tongue along the line of her neck. "I can see it. I can smell it."

"I was under the impression that you felt that sex was only for procreation." Nozomi murmured her hand reaching up to cut his cheek as he nibbled at her neck.

"We are still procreating. You are not yet pregnant." Mayuri pointed out.

"But we really should go over my notes. I'll be no good to you if I get another headache." Nozomi attempted to protest.

"With both teams working toward a cure, you will get your cure. And we must get you with child as soon as possible." Mayuri told her simply, his hands beginning to remove her clothing. "The sooner you are pregnant, the sooner I can devote myself fully back to my research."

"Have you ever heard of a mood killer? Because it just happened." Nozomi stated, leaning away from him. "So you might as well retrieve my notes, because that's the only interaction you are going to get from me tonight."

"I think not. You are at your prime for getting pregnant right now. You do it willingly or well. . ." Mayuri trailed off with a sneer.

Nozomi rolled her eyes. "You are so charming; you should right a romance novel. It would be a best seller! 'Rape- it's not just for strangers!' Best title ever!"

"Your glibness does you no credit." Mayuri sneered, his hand moving down and under her underwear. "And despite your 'no longer being' in the mood, you are wet still."

Nozomi sighed and relaxed. Might as well enjoy herself.

* * *

><p>Nozomi rubbed at her eyes again, groaning softly.<p>

"You suffer from these headaches often?" Captain Unohana asked.

"Yes, and it is nothing you need to worry about. My husband and I are actively looking for a cure for my problem. They aren't common headaches. And no, I will not go into details. Please, take no offense." Nozomi muttered.

Captain Unohana laughed surprisingly. "You and your husband are alike. Worry not." She wrote a few things down on your clipboard. "I am surprised that you are here. Mayuri told me that he could take care of his wife."

"So he told me." Nozomi said with a smirk crossing her lips. "And sometimes, women just need to talk to another woman. Or that's what he claimed you said. 'Girl talk.'"

Captain Unohana smirked at her and scribbled a few more things down on her clipboard. "You are surprisingly healthy despite whatever ails you. You keep your body in good shape, eat healthy. That's good for you and the baby."

Nozomi's hands immediately dropped down to her lower stomach. "I'm pregnant? How? When? I mean, we haven't been actively checking, but Mayuri has been actively trying to get me pregnant."

"You are further along than most of the girls who come and see me. About two and a half months. If you are normally nauseous from your headaches, you probably didn't even realize you might be having morning sickness. Well, not that everyone woman has been known to get it." Captain Unohana explained. "And while I know you said that you are looking for a cure, it might be safer for you to abstain taking it until after the child is born. We don't know what the cure would do to the child, rather it would hurt it. Mayuri's cures have been . . . controversial at times."

"I understand." Nozomi murmured. "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to return to my squad now. I want to tell Mayuri the news."

"Of course. Would you like one of my squad members to escort you back?" Captain Unohana asked.

"I think I would actually." Nozomi answered with a soft smile. "My mind is wondering. I would probably end up somewhere really bad. The last thing I need is for my husband to lecture me about something . . . again."

"Somehow, I feel like you get along with Captain Kurotsuchi just fine." Captain Unohana mused; as she slid open the door to the examining room. "Would someone please escort Kurotsuchi-san back to her barracks?"

As the squad member nodded and turned to her, Nozomi found herself thinking about how Mayuri would react to the news of her being pregnant. Would he be excited? Or would it just be a task he completed, like an experiment. Maybe he already knew and just didn't tell her? He hadn't actively tested her, but he slept less than she did. He could have taken a blood sample, or used some other invention that he had. Hell, he may have created it while she slept.

While they were all still actively looking for a cure for her crippling headaches, and had a few promising looking breakthroughs, nothing had yet led to a cure. And time was running out. She had only a few years left until she was at her sister's age. Worse, she was progressing worse than her sister was. Her sister progressed faster than their mother did. As time went on, the disease was getting faster. It was taking victims faster and faster as time continued.

Nozomi started as the member of Squad Four touched her arm go get her attention. "Sorry, just thinking. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Mayuri," Nozomi called his name gently to rouse him from his experiment. "Can I talk to you a minute?"<p>

Mayuri gazed at her over his shoulder for a minute before turning to give a few instructions to one of his team. Satisfied that they would continue on without him, he turned and took Nozomi gently by the arm and led her from the lab.

Once they reached his office, he closed the door and took a seat behind his desk. "You wanted to talk, so talk."

"I went and seen Captain Unohana today. Checkup and all of that." Nozomi murmured, crossing her arms just under her breasts.

"I am more than capable of giving you a checkup!" Mayuri snapped, lacing his fingers together, glaring.

"We've been so busy lately, I figured I'd take the initiative to go and get a checkup done." Nozomi explained. She took a tentative step closer to the desk. "Captain Unohana said that I am about two and a half months along. She thinks that the symptoms I had from the pregnancy were easily overlooked because of the headaches."

Mayuri gazed down at her stomach, and then his eyes narrowed. "Even more of a reason to find the cure you so desperately need."

"Captain Unohana thinks that even if we find a cure that we should wait until after the baby is born." Nozomi explained.

"We may not have that kind of time." Mayuri told her raising his eyes to meet hers.

"What are you talking about?" Nozomi asked, her veins filling with ice.

"I took the initiative to make sure I'd have test subjects to test possible cures on. I infected them with your blood. The disease has latched onto them and it accelerated to match the speed in which it attacks you. They aren't fighting it as well as you do. Even with the small attempts at cures you have done to yourself."

"You infected others with my disease?" Nozomi cried out. "What the hell gives you the right?"

"Most of them were going to die anyways. I pulled most of them out of prison."

"Most," Nozomi scoffed. "And where did the others come from?"

"Some are your team members who volunteered. They have taken quite a liking to you. Enough to infect themselves with your diseases, and test cures on themselves to try and cure you." Mayuri spoke softly.

"These people will die if a cure isn't found." Nozomi stated coldly. "These puts more stress and pressure than I need!? Don't you understand that this makes me worse? It will make them feel worse? Stress doesn't help us at all!"

"This is why as long as you are pregnant you will not be working." Mayuri told her. "The child is a lot more important at this point."

"Of course, because you only will need me to pop out one more. Who cares if I don't survive the second birth? You'll have your children. And if I am gone, you can do what you wish, right?" She couldn't stop the tear that leaked form her eye.

"Contrary to what you think or believe, I am trying to cure you. I find I do not mind your company. I am trying to cure you. I am ensuring that all my promises about our children are kept. The best way to do that is to keep you near me at all times. You are the reason that I am allowing Nemu to avidly look for herself a husband. You are the reason that moral within my own squad is up. Now tell me if I am being unreasonable. We both know that I hold no value to life; until you came along. I am working hard to cure you, my wife; because I have no plans on letting you escape me." Mayuri snarled softly.

Nozomi let her hand come up to her throat. "Let me help."

"No." Mayuri answered softly.

* * *

><p>"How are you today Nozomi-chan?" Nemu asked as she walked into her bedroom with lunch.<p>

"I am fine Nemu. How are you today? Any luck in your search?" Nozomi asked, sitting up and setting her book aside. "And, if you are able to, tell me what's going on in the lab. Mayuri has guards set up. I can't even walk in that direction without being escorted back to my room and tucked in like a child."

"I have been on a few dates. Not many men are as smart as me, Mayuri-sama, or you. So the pool to choose from is not very large. And I have an interest in seeing what potential children between the possible male and me will look like. I run their DNA and mine; choosing to see what possible looks can happen if a child is born between us."

"Nemu, you shouldn't do that. Love comes naturally and through similar likes. Not from what DNA can produce." Nozomi scolded gently. "That isn't the way to do things. You should try just talking to them. Don't ask for blood samples, or take a hair. Just talk to them. If you want to meet them again, do so. If you feel like nothing will come of it, just don't talk to them again. It's that simple."

"Mayuri-sama had me break into your apartment and take a sample via a hair I found on your pillow. He was interested to see what your possible children might look like. That's why he went through with his plan to convince you to marry him." Nemu pointed out.

Nozomi managed to snap her mouth close and glare. "Then you won't mine telling Mayuri to come and see me . . . immediately."

* * *

><p>"Nemu has no business telling you that." Mayuri snapped, pacing the length of their room. "And what does it matter. I chose you, you agreed to marry me, and we are having a child."<p>

"But you profile me via DNA?" Nozomi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was profiling you days before I got your DNA." Mayuri said smoothly. "Your DNA was just a plus. I had made my decision long before I got ahold of your DNA. Your picture alone helped me make my decision."

"Your words don't ease the fact that I feel like you used my DNA to choose me to make the perfect baby. Like a prize winning horse being paired with a mare of perfect breeding." Nozomi pointed out.

"If I was really concerned about that, I would have used your illness to abolish our marriage and select someone new." Mayuri snapped. "I would prefer to discuss this later! I am working hard on find a cure for you!"

As he swept out of the room, Nozomi sighed and dropped her hand down to her stomach. "Child, if you aren't aware, your father is a jerk. But he sometimes means well."

* * *

><p>SIX MONTHS LATER<p>

"Mayuri," Nozomi cried out, squeezing his hand harder. "Please, please get Captain Unohana!"

"My scientists are perfectly capable of helping you give birth to our child." Mayuri snapped.

"If you do not get me Captain Unohana, you will never touch me sexually again! I swear it! No amount of drugs, tying me down, or sweet talking will get me to have your next child!" Nozomi screamed in his face. "This is painful, and I want Captain Unohana here to help!"

Mayuri let out a 'tsk' and signaled something to one of his squad members.

Nozomi breathed through each contraction, squeezing her husband's hand as each one hit. He took the pain with a stoic face, every once in a while, reaching up with a cool cloth to wipe the sweat away from her brow.

Who knows how long it really was, but after what seemed like an eternity, Captain Unohana showed up with several of her squad members, and carting several bags of supplies. Upon seeing her, she immediately began issuing orders.

"Why wasn't I reached immediately? With Nozomi-san's health already at risk, this child might already be at a disadvantage!" She snapped at Mayuri. "Despite what you think Mayuri, you are not god. You can't do everything, and you don't know everything."

Mayuri stood, about to argue when Nozomi went into another contraction.

Unohana pushed him out of the way and knelt down between her legs. "This baby is coming fast. It's ready to crown. It's too late for any pain medication. Get ready."

Mayuri took up Nozomi's hand again, kneeling by her head.

"I can't do this!" She cried, squeezing his hand. "It hurts too much!"

"You are doing fine." Mayuri assured her, touching her brow. "You will be fine."

"Her blood pressure is too high!" One of the Squad Four members informed Captain Unohana. "She is at serious risk."

Unohana took a moment to glare at Mayuri before issuing more orders.

"Mayuri," Nozomi whispered. As he glanced down at his wife, a tear slid down her face. "I'm scared. I really don't think I can do this."

Mayuri glanced at Unohana, who had her mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Mayuri . . ." Nozomi whispered, before her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Cut the baby out!" Unohana ordered, moving up toward Nozomi's face. "Nozomi, can you hear me? Nozomi!"

The cries of a baby breathed the room and Mayuri barely glanced at it as he focused on his wives face. It was pale, and her sweat was already cooling.

"I don't have a pulse." A Squad Four member called out.

Mayuri reached inside of his jacket and pulled out a syringe. "Move."

Captain Unohana glanced at him, opening her mouth to argue but stopped. She moved aside as Mayuri plunged the syringe into his wives chest, pushing the plunge in.

"What is that?" Captain Unohana asked.

"Her cure, I found it a week ago." He stated as he pulled out another syringe, "And this is adrenaline." He shoved the needle into her arm and pushed the plunger in. Then, he raised up on her knees and began to do compressions on her chest.


	11. Mayuri Kurotsuchi Part 3

Author's Note: It has been way to long since I uploaded a new chapter on this story! I can honestly say its partly because neglect, working, and Mayuri being a pain in my butt!

But enjoy this chapter!

Mayuri Kurotsuchi Part 3-

Mayuri was busy checking Nozomi's temperature and stats to notice that Nemu had walked in carrying his son. He scribbled down notes on his clipboard, occasionally setting it down to lift a limb, or open an eye lid and peak in.

"Mayuri-sama, Yasahiro is hungry." Nemu spoke softly.

Mayuri looked over his shoulder and gave a brief nod. He set the clipboard down and picked up a bottle of milk he had pumped from his wife's breast earlier. Without a word, he took his son from Nemu, and set down in a chair.

"Do you require anything else Mayuri-sama?" Nemu asked as she turned toward the door.

"Just take the clipboard to the rest of Nozomi's staff. They'll know what to do." He ordered as he put the bottle nipple to the baby's mouth.

Nemu bowed and retrieved the clipboard before exiting the room.

As if sensing his sister's departure, Yasahiro let go of the nipple and let out a whimper.

"Shh." Mayuri whispered to the baby. "You'll be fine with your father for just a little while. You know she'll come back."

As if sensing the truth of his father's words, the baby quieted and took the bottle nipple in his mouth again.

Mayuri let his gaze slid to his wife. It had been nearly a month, and she still hadn't woken up. All her vital signs were promising, and blood work proved that the disease was no longer in her blood stream. Still though, she hadn't wakened. If it wasn't for the constant brain activity that the machines he had hooked her up to showed, he would have killed her.

Yasahiro released the nipple, giving a happy gurgle as Mayuri raised a brow at the empty bottle. "At least you have a healthy appetite."

A beep from one of the machines drew his attention to Nozomi. Her brain activity was spiking, nothing out of the ordinary. It would quit in a minute or two.

He turned his attention back to his son, smirking when the baby flailed his arms around. His green eyes were startling in his pale face, hair the same dark blue as his own.

"M. . ."

Mayuri's eyes snapped up, focusing on Nozomi as he stood slowly. He crossed the room, Yasahiro tucked against his chest as he gazed down as his wife. Her eyes were open into slits, her eyes moving back and forth, unfocused.

"Nozomi, can you hear me?" Mayuri asked, leaning into her view.

"Ye. . ." She croaked, her eyes moving to him. Her eyes traced his face slowly, before moving down and focusing on the baby. "B. . .big."

"You've been in a coma for a month. I'm still trying to determine if it was your sickness that caused it, or if I neglected you." Mayuri answered.

Yasahiro gurgled bring Nozomi's attention back to the baby. "N. . .n. . .na. . ."

"I named him Yasahiro. I found it scribbled down in a book you had been keeping of possible names." Mayuri murmured, shifting the baby to one arm so he could begin checking on her. "I've kept a steady stream of drugs in your system to keep you from dehydrating or starving. I've also administered drugs to keep your muscles from deteriorating. How are you feeling?"

"W. . .water?" Nozomi croaked.

Mayuri rose up and yelled, "Nemu, bring me a glass of water. And I need you to take back Yasahiro!"

Within moments, Nemu appeared and handed Mayuri his requested glass, and took the baby. She excused herself immediately, leaving the two of them alone.

Mayuri helped her raise up, placing the glass at her lips. "Small sips." He murmured in her ear. "It wouldn't do you well to make yourself sick over something as simple as water."

Nozomi took a small sip, humming happily as the cool liquid slide down her throat. All too soon, Mayuri took the glass away, still over half full.

"No!" Nozomi whimpered, attempting to reach for it herself.  
>"You know we need to make sure you can keep that down before you drink more." Mayuri told her simply, setting the glass out of her reach.<p>

She let herself fall back on her pillows, eyes half lidded as she watched her husband studying her. His eyes swept back and forth in quick succession, taking in everything from her breathing, to the smallest muscle spasm. Time seemed to pass slowly as they continued the dance. Finally, he looked up at her and studied her face.

"Any nausea?" He asked.

Nozomi shook her head 'no', and glanced back at the water hopefully. Mayuri reached for it, and then her. Cradling her with one arm, he helped her sip the water again. He let her finish the glass and still didn't let her go.

"One would think you missed me." Nozomi teased softly, burying her nose in his robes. He smelled as he always did; like antiseptic and something else. Something that made him smell decidedly male.

"A brilliant mind is a terrible thing to waste." He answered simply. He didn't let her go.

* * *

><p>It took weeks for Nozomi to get back to her full facilities. Without the crushing pain of the headaches though, it seemed all too easy. She spent those weeks caring for her son. Making up for the month she lost. Mayuri seemed to always be close at hand, though Nemu assured her that he had returned to his normal work.<p>

Her son was quiet, for a baby. His eyes following people around the room that made her believe that he was a genius in the making. She had tested the theory a few times, but got nothing more than a happy baby gurgle and gummy smile.

"Who is momma's silly boy?" She cooed as she laid him down in his crib for a nap.

She motioned for the nanny to enter the room as she slowly backed out. It was her first day being able to go back to work. While she had wanted to return as soon as she woke up, she couldn't bring herself to just leave her son.

While she walked, she found herself thinking on her strange husband. He gave her vitamins daily that she took without a second thought, and he was always making notes. She wondered if it was all a part of checking up on her due to her coma, her illness, or something else. She trusted that if he was testing something on her, it wasn't anything that she could notice. She was gaining her energy back, nearly back to the level she was before she began to get sick, so that wasn't anything weird. She slept a little better, again, nothing weird. Her lips pursed as she reached the lab. Checking to make sure her appearance was okay quickly, she walked in.

Her staff was quick to greet her, calling out happy calls. She greeted them all personally and checked up on each of their projects. She was happy to be back.

* * *

><p>Mayuri watched the cameras as his wife walked about her lab. She seemed grounded, smiling and talking to each of her team members like she hadn't been able to before. Within a few hours, she was in her office, looking into her own notes.<p>

He had returned all her notes, putting everything back the way he had found it. He felt a small twinge of regret, wishing he had kept some of them. Her ideas, the things she wrote, was enough to make him crave her. He wanted her to stay around; past the required years and children. The problem was though; he wasn't sure how to express that.

So he ensured that he was there through every step of her recovery. Every checkup, test, shot, or pill was given by him. He was by her side as much as he could possibly be without being obvious. He understood the body, the brain, and everything that could be known in-between. However, he didn't understand emotions; he didn't understand _feelings_.

Nozomi made him feel. He felt things he never had before. These things were something he wasn't sure he would ever understand, and he wasn't sure if he wanted too. He wasn't sure if he wanted to feel at all.

* * *

><p>One Year Later<p>

Nozomi felt her blood near boiling. Mayuri held up a syringe to her, sprouting off reasons why she should take a shot. Increased stamina, sex drive, and so much more, he claimed. He hadn't touched her since she had woken up. Well, sexually, at least. Now he was trying to tell her he was ready for another child. At least, in his own way.

That wasn't what had her so angry though. What made her angry, was that she had tried to get him to have sex not once, twice, but three times in the past month and he had turned her away! Now he was attempting to give her a shot to 'increase her sex drive'.

"I do hope you are planning to use that on yourself." Nozomi told him softly, pushing her glasses up her nose. "As my sex drive, is just fine."

"It will increase your fertility as well." Mayuri continued, ignoring her words.

"Mayuri, I'm fertile. We conceived Yasahiro just fine. So I will not be taking that shot." She snapped. "Is there anything else or can I return to my work!?"

"We need to hurry and get you with child again." Mayuri reminded her.

"I was under the impression that I had two years to conceive after Yasahiro was born. I was also given a little extra time because of my recovery. Let's also bring up the fact that I've been trying to get you to have sex with me this past month and you have turned me away. So I want to know why this change of mind suddenly?"

"Tch." Mayuri turned his head away and tucked the needle back into his robes. "It seemed pointless when you weren't at a point you were ready to conceive."

"Does it always have to be about conceiving, Mayuri. Sometimes, a woman maybe just wants a little pleasure. Even you can't be that cold all the time. I miss the Mayuri that practically forced me into marriage! He seemed a lot better than the one who has made himself known recently. Whatever is wrong, I'd prefer I not be the brunt of it."

Nozomi turned away to enter her lab, but was stopped when Mayuri grabbed her arm and spun her around. His face was clouded in anger, and she quickly found herself thrown over his shoulder, and taken to his office.

She couldn't argue with the results of that though.

Sex with her husband could be so good.

* * *

><p>"Hello Kurotsuchi-san." Captain Unohana smiled as the woman walked in. "Are we here for a checkup?"<p>

"Hello Captain Unohana." Nozomi smiled as closed the door behind her. "I'm actually here to see if I'm pregnant again. Though, I probably do need a checkup. Despite my husband plowing me with all the vitamins and medications I could possibly need."

Captain Unohana chuckled with her as she motioned her to take a seat on the exam table. While Nozomi settled herself upon it, Captain Unohana busied herself grabbing Nozomi's charts and files.

"How is your husband?" Nozomi asked gently. "I heard about his fight with Captain Zaraki."

"Oh, he is fine. Iwao has been in many fights. And believe me when I say that Captain Zaraki is just as hurt. The two of them are stubborn though, and both are already trying to go about their weeks as if the fight never happened." Captain Unohana laughed. "In fact, Iwao is around here somewhere. He always is."

Nozomi smiled back, her eyes casting about for the large man.

"Oh, I'm sure he went with Mamoru to get food. Those two don't always see eye to eye. However, when it comes to taking care of Isane and I, they are always in agreement." Captain Unohana spouted off as she sat in a cheer and carefully wheeled herself over. "Especially seeing as Isane is now pregnant with her second child."

"As are you." Nozomi replied, eyes casting down to the gentle swell beginning to show beneath the Captain robes.

Captain Unohana smiled and dropped a hand to her stomach. "Yes, I am. Iwao and I are excited about another little one. Enough about me however; let's see if you are indeed with child again."

The files and charts were set aside and Captain Unohana set her hands on Nozomi's lower stomach. The Captain's eyes closed as she looked for the sign of new life within Nozomi's womb. After a minute she pulled away. "You are indeed pregnant, Kurotsuchi-san. It is a very new pregnancy too. Maybe a few weeks at most; by the time this little one is born, Yasahiro will be two years old."

Nozomi couldn't help the grin that split her face. "I'm so happy! Wait until Mayuri hears about this!" She got off the table then blushed, sitting back down. "After my full exam, of course."

* * *

><p>Mayuri looked up from the files he was reading over as Nozomi walked into the office, Yasahiro on her hip and a smile on her face. Immediately, Yasahiro began to squirm, and Nozomi set the baby down carefully, following him as he took shaking steps around the desk, and into his father's arms.<p>

"It's so unlike you to take a day off of work." Mayuri commented, making a silly face at his son, to entertain the baby for a moment.

Nozomi smiled as the baby squealed happily and clapped his hand together. "I went to visit Captain Unohana today." She told him, making a silly face when the baby turned his attention to her. "She says that I'm a few weeks along."

Mayuri raised an eyebrow, ignoring his son for a moment as the baby patted his face to get his attention. "I have told you before that I am more than capable of examining you."

Nozomi just smiled at him, leaning down to take the toddler from him. "I know you are. Just seemed like a good idea to visit a lady and catch up on gossip. Besides, she will need to keep tabs on me since she will be delivering our baby."

"Tch." Mayuri turned his head away, glancing at his desk. Nozomi followed his gaze, surprised to see her Shinigami Academy photo staring back at her. Next to it was a gummy smiling photo of their son.

"I guess I will take Yasahiro back to the sitter and go to my lab." Nozomi said softly, turning to leave.

"Take Yasahiro back, yes. Return to me, however." Mayuri ordered softly, his eyes not leaving the two photos on his desk.

Nozomi nodded briefly, already almost out the door. "As you wish."

* * *

><p>Nozomi returned to Mayuri's office, conflicted about what she had seen. He was an attentive father, though it had taken him a while to learn that babies don't immediately walk and talk (rather he wished it or not). He had watched her with Yasahiro several times before he even started to attempt to make silly faces. More so, when their son got to the 'hold me' stage, Mayuri would have rather not hold the boy. He wanted their son to be dependent, even at the young age of one.<p>

It was one of the few big arguments that Nozomi could remember. He had been doing much better as a father, but it seemed like more of a learning experience, or experiment to her. Like it was all something he was just interested in seeing what reactions he could cause.

The pictures on Mayuri's desk were a real surprise to her. Other than the sex they had, Mayuri rarely showed any emotion. He was either angry, cold, condescending, or grudgingly accepting. While he worked hard to save her life, he said he did it in the name of science. Mayuri rarely told lies. Which meant that he either truly cared for her, in his own twisted way, or it was just another experiment to him. Did he want her to react to the pictures on the desk?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and turned the knob to his office door and entered. There, Mayuri still sat behind his desk, his eyes focused on the pictures.

"I'd like to do my own exam." Mayuri told her, finally dragging his eyes away from the photo. "You and the baby will be at optimal health."

"Of course." Nozomi couldn't help but smirk. "Mayuri only accepts the best."

"Naturally." Her husband replied.

* * *

><p>8 MONTHS LATER<p>

Mayuri held Nozomi's hand as he helped her walk about the Squad Four birthing room. Her contractions had hit earlier in the day, but she was far from ready to give birth. As another contraction hit, she squeezed his hand tightly, using it to keep herself standing.

"Can't we just knock me out again and cut the baby out?" Nozomi joked weakly as she began to make her way back to the bed.

"I would gladly do so. However, Captain Unohana would be greatly upset with me." Mayuri answered, helping his wife get settled into the bed.

He kept her company for a while, until she turned to him. "I feel like I need to push soon. Can you get Captain Unohana for me? I think it's close to time."

"That won't be necessary, Captain Kurotsuchi. As you can see, I am here." Captain Unohana entered the room, her large husband in tow. "I'm afraid my husband will have to assist me, as well as you, Captain Kurotsuchi. We are a little short staffed with all the pregnancies. Captains and Lieutenants aren't the only people to take the marriages under advisement."

Iwao bowed his head to Nozomi and gave the barest movement of his head to acknowledge Mayuri. The large man stood at six foot four, scars covered the back of his hands from a life of being a swordsman. His long waist length white has was tightly braided back, and as always, his violet eyes were guarded. His muscles seemed taunt, and it was only then that Mayuri noticed the tic in his jaw.

"What has you so upset?" Mayuri asked, rolling removing his captains jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

"Please do not start a fight, Captain Kurotsuchi." Captain Unohana scolded, checking Nozomi to see how dilated she was. "Especially since this baby is ready to make its appearance in our world."

Iwao moved to the side, prepared to do whatever his wife needed of him. Mayuri stood as close to Captain Unohana as he could stand, also ready to assist in any way he could.

Nozomi cried out softly as another contraction hit. Sweat began to bead at her brow, and her fingers clawed at the cover, seeking Mayuri's hand, which was no longer there.

"Please!" Nozomi cried. "Just cut him out!"

"Kurotsuchi-san, I need you to breath and push with each contraction. The baby came faster than we were expecting. And even when you were brought it, it was too late to give you anything for the pain. You're going to have to do this natural." Captain Unohana explained softly. She turned to Mayuri. "Perhaps you can assist you wife for the moment, Captain Kurotsuchi. I will let you know when I need your help."

"Tch." Mayuri moved to Nozomi's side and took up her hand. Leaning down, he began to whisper in her ear, too softly for Captain Unohana or her husband to hear. Whatever he said seemed to calm his wife.

At her next contraction, Nozomi grit her teeth and pushed. She ended it on a hoarse yell, as Captain Unohana told her encouraging words. Mayuri didn't flinch as his wife squeezed his hand as hard as she could.

Another contraction hit and Nozomi cried out again as she pushed hard.

"I can see the head!" Captain Unohana cried encouragingly. "You are almost there Kurotsuchi-san!"

"Almost there, Nozomi." Mayuri murmured in her ear, encouraging her. "Then we can meet our son."

"Aaarrrgggghhhhh!" Nozomi cried as she gave a final push. A shrill cry filled the air as the baby finally slid free of her.

"Iwao, please fetch some towels." Captain Unohana murmured to her husband. As she did that, she turned her attention back to Mayuri. "I need your help with cleaning the baby, Captain Kurotsuchi."

Mayuri left Nozomi's side and began to process of cleaning the baby, cutting the umbilical cord, and recording his measurements and weight. All the while, Nozomi watched with lidded eyes.

"My baby." Nozomi finally whispered at least. "Can I see my baby?"

Captain Unohana and Mayuri didn't hear her, but Iwao did. The large man glanced down at her, before calling in a surprisingly soft but deep voice. "Retsu, she'd like to see her child."

Mayuri swept the baby from Captain Unohana's arm without warning and carried him over to his wife. The baby whimpered as he was placed in his mother's waiting arm.

"Fumio." Nozomi whispered, looking at the baby that slept in her arms. "Let's name him Fumio, Mayuri."

"It's a good name." Mayuri replied, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it will suit him well in the future."

Captain Unohana scribbled the name down on the charts in her arms, than motioned for her husband to follow her out of the room. They left the couple to bond over the new life they had created.

* * *

><p>Two Years Later<p>

Nozomi approached the office of the Captain Commander, her heart fluttering in her chest. He had called her to this meeting, sending a message only a week ago. With a deep calming breath, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Nozomi pushed opened the door, stepping inside. "Good morning, Captain Yamamoto. You wished to see me?"

"Kurotsuchi-san, thank you for coming; Please, shut the door and sit in front of the desk. We have a few things to discuss."

Nozomi shut the door softly, and approached the chair that Captain Yamamoto had motioned toward. She politely set down, crossing her feet at the ankles, and folding her hands in her lap.

"For all these years, Squad Three has gone without a Captain. When something was pointed out to me; we are sorely in need of a squad that will go into hostile environments and map out the dangers before any other squads are sent in. For far too long, we have walked in blind in most situations. It is my understanding that you recently led a mission much like this, and managed to leave without getting yourself or any team members injured. We would like to offer you the position of Captain of Squad Three." Captain Yamamoto began without any real prompting.

"I. . .Do I have time to think about this Captain Yamamoto?" Nozomi inquired politely. "I would like to discuss this with my husband. It is a very large decision to make, and I have to think of my family."

"I will give you a week." Captain Yamamoto told her. "If you don't give me an answer, I will find someone else. We would like you though. You are our first choice."

Nozomi nodded and stood, giving a stiff bow before she turned and exited the Captain Commander's office.

She walked home in a daze, and when she reached the Squad Twelve barracks, she made her way to Mayuri's personal lab, knowing she'd find him there. She saw no reason to put off talking to him. As she walked through the building, she couldn't help but notice how quiet it seemed. Normally the building was bustling in some way. Either with younger squad members running files in between labs, or someone taking some experiment, chemical, poison, and cure from one place to another.

No one was around though.

Nozomi shrugged and continued on her journey. When she reached Mayuri's lab, she immediately knew that he was in there. The smells and sounds coming from the lab proved he was probably dissecting something, or trying some new experiment. Carefully, and quietly, she pushed the door open.

Immediately, her heart fell into her stomach as she took in the sight before her. Both of her sons were on her husband's operating tables, split open, with only machines keeping them alive.

"NOOOOOO!" She screamed, rushing forward. Tears burned her face as they fell from her eyes as she took in the two little bodies, bloody and cut open further than any small child should have to suffer. "You bastard! You promised me! You promised me!"

"Be quiet. This is a very important procedure and there are no rooms for errors. This will make them run at optimal level." Mayuri told her barely glancing at her. He began to pour various liquids and things into their son's chest cavities.

Nozomi felt like every muscle in her body had been cut into pieces and sewn back together. She couldn't move, but the pain she felt was unbearable. She stood there, frozen, knowing she could do nothing but wait until Mayuri finished.

Once her sons were stitched up, she gathered them into her arms and ignored her husband's demand of leaving the boys alone. She walked out of the Squad Twelve barracks and straight to Squad Four's.

Captain Unohana immediately took the boys in, settling them into a room and examining them.

The next day, she accepted Captain Yamamoto's offer.

The day after, she sent her divorce papers to Mayuri. She made only one condition to the Captain Commander; that her sons stay with her.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Please don't panic on me. I'd like to point out: Nozomi is now a Captain. . .Maybe she'll have another story. :P<p>

Don't forget to post who you'd like to see next. I have a few different people ready to go with their stories, characters screaming in my head, and notes prepped on each OC.


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